Biography
Chenguang Wang began piano studies at an early age and started learning saxophone in 2003 under the guidance of Professor Wang Zuokun from the School of Arts at Ludong University in Yantai. In 2005, Chenguang won first prize in the Shandong Provincial Wind Instrument Competition. Continuing his saxophone studies, he later trained with Professor Li Zhiyuan from the Shandong Academy of Arts and Professor Pei Yingzhi from the School of Music and Dance at Yantai University.
In 2012, Chenguang was admitted to the School of Arts at Ludong University, studying saxophone with Professor Li Bin. In 2013, he was accepted to the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in the United States with dual scholarships: the Talent Scholarship and the Dean’s Scholarship, becoming the top-ranked student in his major. At NEC, he studied saxophone performance and chamber music under the renowned saxophonist Professor Kenneth Radnofsky.
During his undergraduate years, Chenguang actively participated in various performances, serving as principal saxophonist in the NEC Saxophone Ensemble, NEC Symphony Band, and NEC Wind Ensemble. He was frequently invited to perform in solo and ensemble concerts both on and off-campus, receiving high praise for his performances. The renowned marimbist Nancy Zeltsman described his saxophone playing as "solid yet delicate." Chenguang collaborated with composers on saxophone compositions, including Déjà Vu by Chinese composer Zhou Xiangyu (in which he participated and recorded) and Greenwich Village by American composer David Amram. In 2016-2017, he also arranged and performed Beethoven's Cello Sonata No. 4, receiving unanimous acclaim.
In 2017, Chenguang continued his studies at NEC as a master's student, again ranked first in his major and receiving the Dean’s Scholarship. As a graduate student, he held positions as a teaching assistant in music theory and saxophone. He led saxophone quartets and sextets as the principal saxophonist, frequently performing in chamber music concerts at the conservatory.
In 2019, Chenguang was admitted to the Boston University School of the Arts with the highest rank in his major, becoming the only saxophone doctoral student that year. He received the Dean’s Scholarship and served as a saxophone teaching assistant. During his doctoral studies, he led the Boston Saxophone Ensemble as principal saxophonist, organizing numerous performances that were met with great acclaim. In 2022, he was invited by NEC to host a lecture-recital, and in 2023, he hosted another lecture-recital at Boston University.
Throughout his career, Chenguang Wang has taken masterclasses with notable saxophonists such as Chien-Kwan Lin, Clifford Leaman, Claude Delangle, Lars Mlekusch, and the Habanera Quartet, and has worked with chamber music coaches including Kenneth Radnofsky, Frank Epstein, Nancy Zeltsman, Steve Drury, Charles Peltz, and Jennifer Bill.
He has performed in numerous prestigious venues, including Brown Hall, Pierce Hall, Williams Hall, Jordan Hall, and the Boston University Concert Hall. His performances have spanned solo recitals, ensemble concerts, and chamber music festivals.
Chenguang has received multiple awards, including the Talent and Dean’s Scholarships from NEC (2013-2017), the Dean’s Scholarship from NEC for graduate studies (2017-2019), and the Dean’s Scholarship from Boston University (2019-2024).