A musical walk through two centuries of Kentucky history with Helen & Nora
Radio interview by Laura Atkinson of Cecilia Huerta-Lauf of NouLou Chamber Players and Shirley Harmon of Oxmoor Farm Foundation for LPM 90.5 FM WUOL. Jul. 1, '25. (Helen & Nora, Op. 49)
"Sebastian...was one of our first NouLou members. So he knows my style of playing very well. I said, look, just speak the way you feel with these women's voices and this story, and you know how my playing is. Then he put it beautifully together. He's got that spirit of imagination. He's brilliant, musically, but also, his openness and imaginativeness is perfect for this programming."
Breathing Life into the Undead
by Laura Atkinson for LPM 90.5 FM WUOL. Oct. 26, '23. (Nosferatu OST, Op. 46)
"What's scarier... a vampire roaming the earth or completing an entire new film score in a matter of months? Composer Sebastian Chang faced both of those fears head on when he was commissioned to write an original work for the iconic silent movie, Nosferatu. Hear his process for composing for film, how his long relationship with the Louisville Orchestra shaped the score, and what to listen for in this world premiere, just in time for Halloween."
Schubert and Chang
by Pang Keyang for UNE News. Nov. 17, '22. (Piano Trio 2, Op. 45)
"Sebastian told reporters that he believes that he creates 'the soundtrack to the 21st century', combining traditional techniques with modern aesthetics to create his own unique sound. His musical style is 'passionate, dynamic, meticulously crafted, emotional and technically strong.' "
Dawn of a Revolution
by Mike Telin for Cleveland Classical. Jul. 10, '18. (Cryptogenic Infrastructure Fantasy, Op. 37)
"The eight-minute work opens with a grand tutti march, which is quickly interrupted by fast, technical flourishes in the violin, clarinet, and piano. The opening then returns, this time with added sharp, tricky rhythms. As the violin and clarinet fight for the lead, the timpani begins to take over. A slower, Arabic-sounding section features a lovely duet for the violin and clarinet, which gradually builds to a dramatic conclusion. The Cohen Family Quartet played the idiosyncratic piece with superb technical flair, bringing out the wit of each section."
'Most Ethereally Beautiful Music' of the 20th Century
by Marty Rosen for LEO Weekly. Feb. 7, '18. (Between Heaven & Earth, Op. 38)
"The highlight of the program was the world premiere of Sebastian Chang's 'Between Heaven and Earth'. Described in the program as a collaboration with artist Vian Sora, it's scored for orchestra and chorus (with text by Chang) and was accompanied by video projections of Sora's art pieces that reflect events in her native Iraq over the last couple of decades.
It's a moving, transparent piece that certainly deserves to find a permanent spot in the orchestral repertory. The first movement is built around a simple, sturdy, supple figure that gradually is woven into a shimmering cloud of sound. The second movement is a sort of fractured waltz. And the final movement (which ends with words from a Buddhist sutra) closed with a passage that brought a listeners to the very brink of what seemed like a standard liturgical cadence and then held them there to shattering effect."
Sebastian Chang Talks About His Symphony
Radio interview by Daniel Gilliam for broadcast on LPM 90.5 FM WUOL. Feb. 12, '15. (Symphony, Op. 34)
Orchestra: Abrams and Chang present new symphony
by Bill Doolittle for LEO Weekly. Feb. 4, '15.
"The best came last in the symphony’s fourth movement, with the trombones taking over the show...they brought down the house with a brassy, deep-booming chorus — while the strings chopped up a steel-edged accompaniment. A very interesting combination, reversing usual roles...Here, the strident bowing proved a special visual treat."
Louisville Orchestra Presents World Premiere of Chang Symphony
by Daniel Gilliam for LPM 90.5 FM WUOL. Feb. 1, '15.
"Chang’s symphony is charming, with moments of nostalgia hinting at Leonard Bernstein and Bernard Herrmann. Chang seems most comfortable writing lush jazz chords or memorable tunes (I’ve remembered the second movement theme since hearing it once at the first rehearsal in December). He is melodically gifted and wants to say something that is personal in every gesture."
Flaming Youth
by Steve Smith for The New York Art Ensemble. Apr. 10, '06. (12 Piano Etudes, Op. 10)
"Performing with no score and lights lowered, it was easy to imagine that Chang was freely improvising his six intricate miniatures, which summoned in equal measure impressions of Debussy, Prokofiev, Nancarrow and Keith Jarrett. Listening to his profusion of stream-of-consciousness melodies and counterpoint, you couldn't help but smile along with the performer as he visibly enjoyed his own prowess at tricky fingerings and cross-handed passages. Someone should pass along Chang's e-mail address to Lang Lang, quick."
Portrait of the Young Man as an Artist
by Molly Sheridan for NewMusicBox. Aug. 9, '22.
"It’s a state of constant exploration Chang consciously works at. 'I like to try something new with every composition,' he explains. 'I’d really hate to fall into a rut and compose the same type of piece over and over again, so I’m trying to experiment just as much as I can. I figure while I’m still at this age it’s the best time.' "
