In Bloom w/ Jacob Wang
By Jonathan Lee Jordan
Jacob Wang has an eye for beauty. You can hear it in his visceral description of Nathaniel Dett’s Magnolia, a piece he calls “floral and “romantic, like a watercolor you can hear.” It’s the same instinct that led him to rearrange his studio just before I sat down with him to conduct his interview—he had a different vision for the space, one that felt a little more inviting, a little more right.
“I just love pretty things,” he shrugs, laughing a little. The kind of laugh that says: I don’t overthink it. I just feel it.
It all makes perfect sense when you learn that Jacob’s next recital is called Love in Bloom. He’ll be performing alongside violinist Patrick Doane, who he describes as “a spark of joy,” and with three of his piano students (Yohvani, Legend, and Anran) at a recital that’s part concert, part collaboration with local flower boutique Bloom. Yes, these beautiful metaphors practically write themselves. But it’s not just clever branding. For Jacob, he seems to instinctively search for the beauty in every new beginning.
“Spring is one of my favorite seasons,” he says. “Everything comes to life. Everything starts to bloom.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates beyond Love In Bloom’s repertoire. This past year marked Wang’s first full season teaching at Music Haven, where he helms the organization’s newly formed Piano Lab. For the first time, he isn’t just training a handful of college students or private clients. He’s teaching a full class of 18—all beginners! Many of them are 8 to 10 years old. All of them are completely new to the piano.
“I honestly get more nervous for them than I do for my own performances,” he confesses. “They show so much enthusiasm. They want to be here (at Music Haven) and learn. They show up with great questions, new pieces, and ideas. They even come early to practice! So, when they perform, I’m listening and watching, because I want them to do well!”
That commitment shows. In just six months, these young pianists, many of whom had never touched a keyboard before this year, took the stage at public concerts, including at the Haven String Quartet’s Chamber Series Concert “Music in Motion.” And for Jacob, watching that transformation has been nothing short of magical.
Jacob proudly states, “They take initiative and go beyond what I ask.”
This passion for teaching beginners isn’t just professional. It’s personal. Wang recently started learning to play the clarinet because as he so passionately states, “it’s always good to humble yourself and be a beginner.”
That same humility shaped his early career. He started piano at age four or five, drawn to the instrument by a piano in his childhood home. His mom dabbled, but never pursued it seriously. He also played violin until his early teens, eventually attending the UNC School of the Arts for high school, where he gave his first formal performance in the storied Watson Hall.
But it was at the University of Michigan, during the George Floyd protests, that he encountered his mentor Arthur Greene. Greene and his students were committed to rediscovering the often-overlooked repertoire of Black composers—a moment that changed Jacob’s musical DNA. It’s how he fell in love with Nathaniel Dett, whose compositions now weave through his work like blossoms through a garden trellis.
The theme of blooming is everywhere in Wang’s story. From floral compositions to beginner concertos, he’s deeply interested in what it takes to grow—especially when you’re just starting out. His hope? That the piano lab becomes a seedbed for future musicians. That one day, there’ll be too many beginners for one teacher to handle and will require additional pianists to join our community.
Having sat front row this entire season, I’ve had the privilege of watching Jacob teach the students, and it’s like watching spring arrive in real time. It’s not just about music. It’s about confidence-building. Developing coordination. Engaging curiosity. Building a musical acumen that also enhances your academic growth. You can actually see the kids bloom right before your eyes.
And just like that, pretty becomes powerful.