Students Reflect: Bo Pang, Music

Reflecting on a Thrilling Year

Just after spring break, we asked students—some graduating, some staying on—to reflect about what they’d been doing lately, their hobbies, and some highlights of their time at Juilliard. In addition, some shared how scholarship support has helped them and what they’re doing this summer.

Bo Pang, Music

Something learned this year
I started learning how to play baroque music on a baroque bow, and I think I’ll keep practicing that way, because it brings me very different feeling and is very interesting!

Highlights

• A lecture-concert in February with my teacher, Lewis Kaplan (BS ’58, MS ’60, violin; faculty 1964–present) that revealed a love for teaching and may change my career plans. 
   
• I’m happy that after reading a lot of history books, I started to realize the style and idiom of the 19th-century Romantic musicians’ playing, which is subtle but very appealing. 
   
• I was honored to meet and have an in-depth conversation with Hilary Hahn, who’s had residencies at Juilliard throughout the academic year. She’s one of the most renowned musicians nowadays, and it benefited me greatly.

Scholarship support
It has provided me with so much that has been vital to my education. One of the most encouraging things is that I’ve been able to go to more live concerts and operas, which has helped me tremendously in my studies.

Hobbies
Cooking and repairing antique artworks.

Third-year violinist Bo Pang, who’s from Beijing, is excited to be returning as an associate to Lewis Kaplan’s Bach Virtuosi festival in Maine this summer—“in a time when everyone is trying to be epic in their performances, this festival takes me back to the 17th to 18th centuries, and that relaxation from the Baroque era is really fascinating”

These pieces are adapted from a special feature that originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of the Juilliard Journal