Pansy Chang is Pink Martini’s athletic aeronaut of the world’s most elegant instrument, the cello (and don’t argue with us about that empirical fact!). A former Fulbright Scholar, Pansy has an impressive C.V. of classical performances which include featured appearances with the National Symphony (Washington DC), the Oregon Symphony, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and more. A member of Pink Martini since the early 2000s, she has played on every Pink Martini album starting with our second release, Hang on Little Tomato. And, insider tip: don’t let anyone tell you that work relationships are a bad idea: Pansy is married to Pink Martini’s guitarist Dan Faehnle. Who wears the pants in that family? All of us agree: they both look great in pants.
1. If you could have seen any musician in concert, dead or alive, who you never got to see live, who would it be?
My teachers, Eleonore Schoenfeld, William Pleeth, and Aldo Parisot
2. If you had a robot that could do one household chore for you… what would it be?
Clean the toilets
3. If you could instantly be fluent in any language, which?
FULLY fluent in Chinese
4. What was the first concert you ever saw?
Janos Starker with the National Symphony in the Kennedy Center
5. What music would you choose as a soundtrack to your most triumphant moment?
“Rocky” theme song
6. What illustrated animal or object would star in your children’s book?
An owl
7. Pride of Lions, Pod of Whales… what would you call a pack of squirrels?
A squirt
8. Are you on the party bus or sleepy bus?
Neither
9. What is your favorite non-musical hobby?
Running
10. If you were instantly skilled enough to have any one other occupation in the world besides musician, what would you choose?
A surgeon
11. What is your favorite city in the world?
PORTLAND, OF COURSE!!
13. How did you choose your musical instrument?
You got to sit down to play it
14. How are you keeping sane and calm during this crisis and these months of quarantine?
LOTS OF BAKING