▲ Conductor and Cellist Han-Na Chang
Cellist and conductor Han-Na Chang has been appointed as the president of the Seoul Arts Center.
She is the first female president from a musical background since the center opened in 1987.
Han-Na Chang is expected to receive her letter of appointment from the minister on the 24th and begin her three-year term, pending coordination for entry and inauguration schedule.
The new president is a world-renowned musician as a cellist and conductor.
She made her debut on the world stage by winning the Grand Prize at the ‘Rostropovich International Cello Competition’ at the age of 11 in 1994.
She has contributed to raising the profile of Korean classical music through collaborations with top orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and London Symphony.
Since 2007, she has conducted various orchestras mainly in Europe and North America, establishing an international exchange network and a broad repertoire.
In Korea, she has led events such as ‘Han-Na Chang’s Absolute Classic Festival’ (Seongnam Arts Center, 2009-2014) and ‘Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Festival’ (Daejeon Arts Center, 2024-2025) as an artistic director.
Last November, she was also appointed as a special invited professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Graduate School of Culture Technology.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young stated, “Conductor Han-Na Chang combines deep understanding and insight into the performing arts based on 32 years of rich field experience, leadership, and her network with world-renowned music organizations and musicians. We expect her to present a new artistic vision and lead a leap forward for the Seoul Arts Center, which is the representative platform for foundational arts in Korea.”