pianist

Donna Weng Friedman is a multidisciplinary artist based in NYC. Taking her mother’s advice to find a “stable job,” Weng graduated from Princeton and became an assistant agent for ICM before recognizing music as her true passion and pursuing a Masters in Music from Julliard. After a traumatic encounter with racism in March of 2020, she decided to create change herself, and founded Heritage and Harmony to connect the community around her through music and stories Through this organization, Weng established “an educational role model program to help school-age girls of color find their artistic voice” and combined the voices of BIPOC artists to produce an EP (Heritage and Harmony: Silver Linings) during the pandemic to raise funds for an anti-racism foundation. Weng is currently collaborating with Chun Wai Chan on a short film, Never Fade Away, which narrates her immigrant father’s life through dance (starring fellow Amazing Asian in the Arts, Xiaoxiao Cao!). Her advice to young artists? “... Be strong and resilient… Listen to people who you trust, but most of all, listen to your heart.” Read on to learn more about Donna Weng Friedman and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts! 

Casey Jo Ahn Robards is a professional collaborative pianist, conductor, vocal coach, and professor based in Champaign, Illinois. Her musical journey began at the age of 4 on a toy piano, and led to her first paid pianist job at church. From there, she began accompanying everything from solo competitions, choirs, school musicals, and local events, eventually going on to play for Broadway tours like Wicked and Beautiful! On top of all this, she holds 3 music degrees from the University of Illinois, where she now teaches! Her advice to young artists is simple: “work hard.” There are learning experiences all around, and it’s up to us to “seek new experiences and challenges that cause [us] to meet new people and develop more skills.” Read on to learn more about Casey Jo Ahn Robards and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts! 

Jenna Mee Dosch is a collaborative pianist based in New York. At just 3 years old, she began piano lessons that would later bring her to receive a BA in Piano Performance from Luther College. From there, she completed the Collaborative Piano Masters program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she embraced her love for musical theatre. Her favorite credits include Rock of Ages at McLeod Summer Playhouse, Next to Normal at CU Boulder, and The Last Five Years at ACT of CT -- all leading up to her playing with the North American tour of Broadway’s Frozen! When not performing, Dosch is an active member of MUSE (Musicians United for Social Equity) and Maestra (“a nonprofit that provides support, visibility, and community to the women and non-binary people in the musical theatre industry”). A huge self-care advocate, Dosch’s routine includes Korean skincare and meditation to reset her creative mindset. She advises young artists to “say yes, but also learn to say no,” and to ensure they have enough energy to take on a project before agreeing to prevent burnout. Read on to learn more about Jenna Mee Dosch and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts! 

Kristy Choi is a filmmaker and writer based in Los Angeles. Initially a competitive pianist, Choi went on to fall in love with writing, and began to study screenplays to better her work. She picked up the fundamentals for filmmaking from the many projects she dedicated herself to, later going on to writing, directing, and producing her own film for the New Yorker (“Herselves”)! She finds collaboration with other professionals inspiring, particularly with non-binary, female, and POC creatives. Choi hopes to “write and direct [her] first narrative feature film” in the future, and to “further experiment with hybrid documentary techniques.” She advises young artists to practice self care and seek out a circle of fellow artists that will both encourage and celebrate their work, as well as adopting a growth mindset and a regular routine to practice their art. When she’s not working on a project, she enjoys hiking and karaoke, and lists whistling as a special skill! Read on to learn more about Kristy Choi and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!

Ruth Kwan is a Music Director and Pianist based Ottawa, Ontario.  After moving to the NYC to study, she went on to play and conduct major National Tours like Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon! Keep reading to find out more about what makes Ruth an Amazing Asian in the Arts!

Joanne Ho is a pianist and Music Director based in Singapore! A former actor and publicist turned Music Director, she has broken barriers by being the first Singaporean to graduate from the...