(2014) Pianist and composer Jon Jang became the first American born Chinese to compose a symphonic work that honors Chinese American history. Commissioned by the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra and Oakland East Bay Symphony, Jon Jang composed The Chinese American Symphony which pays tribute to the Chinese laborers who built the first transcontinental railroad in United States. Jang has also been commissioned by Cal Performances, the Walker Art Center, Kronos Quartet and Chanticleer to compose new works.

New York Times described Jang’s music: “Like the ‘’Third Stream’’ composers of the 50’s who married jazz and classical music. Cal Performances, the Walker Art Center, Kronos Quartet, Chanticleer and others have commissioned Jang to compose new works. Pianist Jang has toured and recorded with Max Roach and James Newton. His ensembles have toured at major concert halls in Europe, China, Canada, United States and South Africa. In 2012, Jon Jang was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr.-Cesar Chavez-Rosa Parks Visiting Professor recognition at the University of Michigan. Jang began piano study at age 19. After two years of study, Jang was accepted as a Piano Performance major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and received his B.Mus. degree in three years.