International Student Stretches Boundaries With Bucknell’s Early Music Ensemble

Coming to Bucknell from Beijing, China, Mindy Zhang '19 was already stepping out of her comfort zone. Once on campus, Zhang, a musician since elementary school, decided to push herself even further by embracing new forms of music.

"Before I got here, I didn't know how diverse the music culture is," says Zhang, who joined the University's Early Music Ensemble, which performs pieces dating back to medieval times, often in languages such as Latin or French, which are unfamiliar to Zhang. "After having so many years in a choir for competition, I really wanted to try something different."

Zhang, a psychology major, has found the experience challenging — and rewarding.

"At first, I didn't know anything about early music," she says. "Singing in the choir is a different experience for me."