Hahn, at the keyboard, coaches Weichao Xu.

Expressing What's Inside

Born in China and reared in Singapore, Weichao Xu as a young lad pestered his parents to buy him a piano after hearing a pianist playing at a local church. His journey toward a conservatory half a world away began as he was finishing high school in Singapore, when his piano teacher introduced him to Marian Hahn, who had helped to establish Peabody's sister school in Singapore, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory.

"I did well in math and science, and I was thinking of taking those classes in college, but somehow related to music, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity for me," says Xu. He is now a junior working toward a bachelor's of music in Recording Arts and Sciences, a double-degree program that includes performance, recording, and electrical engineering. "They complement each other very well," he explains. "Knowing how to play an instrument helps you to become a better recording engineer because you know the music behind it, not just the technical aspect. And being able to record yourself professionally helps you critique yourself and find out where your mistakes are."

Of course, a double major means a heavy workload, not to mention frequent trips between the Homewood campus for courses in engineering and the Peabody Conservatory. Hahn calls her student "a really wonderful pianist" and recognizes that he doesn't always have time to practice as much as he should. "It's very stressful, but he does well, and he's incredibly disciplined," she says. Xu says he manages to average two to three hours of practice on weekdays and as much as five to six hours on weekends when time permits.

Hahn knows a bit about hard work herself. On the Peabody faculty since 1987, she studied at Oberlin and Juilliard and has performed extensively, including as a longtime member of the Amadeus Trio. She believes that teachers can relate better to their students by continuing to perform. "Performing keeps us in touch with the entire process of making music— from the learning of a piece to the final communication of it to an audience. I often discover things during practice: ways to make a difficult passage easy, or how to achieve more calmness of mind essential for concentration during performance. I enjoy sharing these insights with my students." Also a strong proponent of a liberal arts education—she holds a BA from Oberlin—she urges her students to take advantage of Peabody's connection with Johns Hopkins to stretch their minds beyond music.

"In the past it was assumed that if you weren't born a natural pianist, you couldn't learn to play like one. Now, we have much more awareness of the mechanics of playing, how the body functions, and a belief that piano playing can be learned with patience and perseverance, even by someone who doesn't have a lot of natural facility. We are also more holistic today and teach the entire student, not just the hands and arms. We deal with topics like performance anxiety, health, and exercise."

Hahn's concern for her students goes well beyond the studio. "When they're getting settled in the fall or if they've just arrived from a foreign country, I loan them furniture or help in any way I can," she says, "and I try to take care of them if they have emotional problems." On a number of occasions she has assisted students dealing with depression or family conflicts in getting treatment from the Hopkins counseling center.

Xu appreciates Hahn both for her constructive approach to teaching—"When she points out mistakes, it makes you feel like it's something you want to fix," he says—and for her warmth. "You can talk to her about personal life, can tell her secrets, almost like a counselor," he says. "It means a lot, especially for an international student who doesn't have parents here. It's nice to have somebody to talk to."