From a young age, Chang exhibited a passion for classical music. He achieved the ATCL diploma in cello from Trinity College London while still in secondary school and joined several prestigious youth orchestras, including the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong International Youth Philharmonic.
After completing his secondary education, Chang Wai Sing was admitted to Xinghai Conservatory of Music in 2015, becoming the only student from Hong Kong to enter the orchestral department that year. He studied under the renowned cellist Ji Lin and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2019. During his time at Xinghai Conservatory, Ben represented the school in numerous solo and ensemble performances back in Hong Kong. He was also a regular member of the Xinghai Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, even serving as the principal cellist for public performances.
In 2020, Ben was accepted into the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK to further his studies, under the tutelage of former principal cellist of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Petr Prause. He obtained a Master of Performance degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in music performance in 2022 and 2023, respectively. While studying in the UK, Ben participated in approximately 20 public performances, which included the college’s 50th anniversary celebration, a concert of Bernstein’s Mass at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, and collaborating with world-class musicians from the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in Brahms’ Third Symphony.
In addition to his studies at the two music conservatories, Ben has attended masterclasses with many renowned cellists from around the world, including Daniel Veis, the 1978 silver medalist of the Tchaikovsky Competition; David Watkin, the string department head at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; the principal cellist of the San Diego Symphony, Yao ZHAO; and Professor Mingqing YU from the Central Conservatory of Music in China.
Ben is also active in various music festivals, having participated not only in local youth music camps in Hong Kong but also in the Beijing International Great Wall Summer Camp, the Mid-Somerset Festival in the UK, and the RNCM String Festival, among others. His performances have taken him to a wide range of venues, including Bridgewater Hall in the UK, Lancaster Cathedral, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Shenzhen Concert Hall, and Xinghai Concert Hall.
Beyond professional performances, Chang has a deep love for cello teaching and music education. Since university, he has accumulated over 20 students, ranging in age from four to 67. During his studies in the UK, he also took courses in music pedagogy, aiming to deepen his understanding of teaching and benefit his students.
Ben now plays a modern cello, the “Sir John Temple Leader” by Paolo Vettori, generously loaned to him by a sponsor.