English by Angela Feng
Pictures courtesy of David Chan
As one of the most celebrated violinists of his generation, David Chan is also a rising star in the world of orchestral conducting. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his master’s from the Juilliard School, he went on to perform on prestigious stages across North America, Europe, and Asia. He is a concertmaster of New York’s Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, where he’s served for more than 20 years. He is in his fourth year as the music director of the Montclair Orchestra in New Jersey.
David Chan is one of the most celebrated violinists of his generation, as well as a rising star in the world of orchestral conducting.
Despite his accomplishments, Chan maintains a humble heart and a desire to continually grow as a musician. His passion for music has never ceased, even with COVID-19 putting a temporary stop to live performances. “During this pandemic, if you don’t truly love what you do, then it’s hard to find the motivation to keep going,” he said in an interview with Elite Lifestyle Magazine.
A Happy Accident
Chan’s parents are both from Taiwan and met at Stanford University as graduate students. They later moved to San Diego, California, where Chan was born and raised. Surprisingly, he doesn’t come from a musical background. He describes the way he fell into music as a “happy accident.” A violin teacher visited Chan’s preschool one day and told the parents that learning an instrument could help students improve their math and reading skills. Like most other immigrant parents, Chan’s mother and father would do anything to enhance their child’s studies. So, at 4 years old, Chan’s journey as a violinist began.
Though Chan knew from the age of 14 that he wanted to be a musician, his young heart hadn’t always been so certain. In his preteen years, he went through a period where he fought against practicing violin. Like any other kid, he would rather play outside with his friends than run through violin exercises for hours every day. But his parents saw his potential and encouraged him not to quit.
Chan had a change of heart the summer of his freshman year of high school after he won the San Diego Youth Symphony Concerto Competition. One of the judges invited him to go on tour across Eastern Europe, and Chan spent a life-changing three weeks playing among other musicians his age. “I came home from the trip and just knew that I had to do this forever,” Chan said. From that point on, playing the violin went from a hobby to a life goal.
Chan’s road to success was not always smooth. “The truth is, like anyone else, I had three times as many things that didn’t work out as things that did,” he explained. “In a way, it could be more interesting to publish a resume of failures.”
As a young musician, he was originally set on having a solo career. However, he ran into numerous roadblocks and ended up accepting jobs in various ensembles and chamber orchestras. This proved to be a blessing in disguise, as Chan realized he enjoyed the sense of community he got from working with others. Once he started turning his gaze toward a more ensemble-oriented career, doors began to open a lot faster.
When asked what advice he would give to young musicians looking to make it in the industry, Chan emphasized the importance of having patience. It takes time to establish a reputation in the music industry, and many people give up before they succeed. He urges them to keep an open mind. “If you have a goal, don’t be too narrowly focused on it,” he said. “Be open-minded to other opportunities, as they can enhance your journey and open up new avenues.”
Over the years, Chan has performed on prestigious stages across North America, Europe, and Asia. He is currently a concertmaster of New York’s Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, where he’s served for more than 20 years.
Expanding Horizons
It was through keeping an open mind that Chan landed the position of music director of the Montclair Orchestra. Going from a violinist to music director meant he had to adjust his entire mindset during performances. As a violinist, he’s responsible for only his own sound. But as a conductor, instead of being a piece of the puzzle, he is now the one putting the puzzle together. While a player focuses on the present moment, a conductor must always think several steps ahead, preparing his musicians for what’s to come.
The Montclair Orchestra is a relatively new organization, so working there comes with a slew of added responsibilities. There are all kinds of behind-the-scenes duties that Chan must take on, many of which don’t involve music-making. But he enjoys the community-building that comes with being the music director. “A music director needs to be connected to the community and establish a true rapport with the musicians,” Chan said. “To me, the ultimate key is the human connection.”
Chan is currently in his fourth year as the music director of the Montclair Orchestra in New Jersey. For him, the best part of the job is the community-building that comes with it.
Aside from being a violinist and conductor, Chan is also an entrepreneur and creative director. In 2008, he co-founded the “Musique et Vin au Clos Vougeot” Festival in Burgundy, France. It combines two of his biggest passions: music and wine. His inspiration for the festival came after visiting vineyards in that region of France and finding a kinship between the winemakers and musicians.
Though classical music and wine may not seem to have a direct correlation, the two actually have many similarities, Chan says. “With fine wines, there is such a subtle difference between them that only connoisseurs can appreciate it; the feeling isn’t that unlike finding the difference between various late-Schubert piano sonatas,” he said. “We have this platform of two universal languages that can create friendship and bonds between people—and it’s been enormously successful.”
A Universal Language
For Chan, one of the best parts of being a musician is the connection formed between the players and the audience during concerts. With the ongoing pandemic, people have come up with innovative ways to enjoy live music. Just a week before his interview with Elite, Chan found himself back in San Diego where he conducted a drive-in concert as part of the Mainly Mozart Festival.
In normal times, a seasoned musician like Chan would never consider playing at a drive-in concert in the middle of a parking lot. But with all the chaos in the world right now, he said it was revitalizing to be able to experience a live performance again. Seeing the smiling faces of fellow musicians and feeling the audience’s joy provided a shred of normalcy that he hadn’t felt in quite a while. “I’ll carry this feeling with me for quite a long time,” David said with a broad smile.
In February, Chan conducted at a Mainly Mozart Concert in San Diego. The outdoor drive-in performance allowed people to safely enjoy live music amid the pandemic.
In the future, Chan hopes to get more involved in artistic planning and curation of programs like the festival in France or the Mainly Mozart Festival. He’ll still play violin and conduct, but he’s found that his real passion lies in working on the production side of things and creating events through which he can share his love of music with others. “I feel that music is actually one of the languages of God,” Chan said. “Even though people may not realize it, it speaks to them in spaces that words don’t.” He says that classical music has the power to transcend cultural and language barriers, bringing people together in a way words cannot.
