David Yang facts for kids

David Yang was born in New York City in 1967. He is a talented American musician who plays the viola. The viola is a string instrument, a bit like a violin, but larger and with a deeper sound.

About David Yang

David Yang studied music with several great teachers. These included Martha Strongin Katz, Heidi Castleman, Karen Ritscher, and Stephen Wyrczynski.

He is famous for playing chamber music. This is a type of classical music played by a small group of musicians, usually in a room or a small hall. David has played with members from many well-known music groups. Some of these include the Tokyo String Quartet and the Borromeo String Quartet.

In 2009, David received a special award called an artist fellowship. This award is given to a few "exceptional artists" to help them continue their creative work.

David Yang started the chamber music program at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He led this program for 20 years. He also created and directs the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival. This festival brings musicians together to perform chamber music.

David is also a founding member of a string trio called Ensemble Epomeo. A string trio is a group of three musicians who play string instruments. A magazine called The Strad described his playing as "lithe and expressive." This means his music was smooth and full of feeling.

New Music and Stories

David Yang loves to support new music. He has asked more than twenty composers to write new pieces for him to perform. Some of these composers include Eric Ewazen, David Ludwig, and Anna Weesner.

He also leads a group called Auricolae. This group combines storytelling with music. David writes music for Auricolae and has asked others to create pieces that mix stories with music for a narrator, violin, and cello.

His Special Viola

David Yang plays a very old and special viola. It was made in 1670 by a craftsman named Johannes Tielka. This viola was once owned by a famous 19th-century violin player, Joseph Joachim. Joseph Joachim was a close friend of the famous composer Johannes Brahms.

David records his music for several record labels, including New Focus, Somm, and Avie. When he's not playing music, David enjoys cycling and swimming.

David Yang's Family

David Yang comes from a very artistic family. His father, John Yang, was a well-known landscape photographer. His mother, Linda Gureasko Yang, wrote a garden column for The New York Times newspaper.

His sister, Naomi Yang, was the electric bass player for a popular alternative band from the 1990s called Galaxie 500. David Yang has two daughters named Eliana Razzino and Alessandra.