Han-Na Chang Says Her Father Threw Away Her Harvard Application

Cellist and conductor Han-Na Chang almost didn't applied to Harvard University. The reason was her father, who threw her application in the trash.

Chang will share the story on MBC's talk show "Radio Star." The episode airs on Nov. 11 at 10:30 p.m. KST. Kim Hyun-chul, Go Woo-rim and Ha Ri-mu also appear as guests.

On the show, Chang explains how she got into Harvard. She says she received an application from the school after scoring well on a preliminary U.S. college entrance exam. While she was away on a concert tour, her father put the application in the recycling bin. Luckily, she got it back and was able to apply.

She also talks about why she chose to study philosophy instead of music. Chang had worked as a professional performer since childhood. In college, she wanted to learn something new, a subject that would be hard to study on her own. She studied philosophy at Harvard for two years. Then she took a leave of absence because of her performance schedule, she still has not finished her degree.

Chang also looks back on how she became an internationally known cellist at age 11. She entered an international cello competition because she wanted to meet Rostropovich, a cellist she looked up to. On the application, she wrote her age as 11. A competition official assumed she had meant to write 21, and her paperwork passed the first round of screening.

Young as she was, Chang went on to beat a field of strong players and take first place. Rostropovich, who led the jury, was surprised by how young she was. She was so small that it looked like the cello was walking onto the stage by itself. Once he heard her play, though, he recognized her talent. The two later became teacher and student.

That win at 11 launched a career on the world stage. Chang has since moved from the cello to the conductor's podium. In April, she took a new role as president of the Seoul Arts Center, one of South Korea's best-known performing arts venues.

It is a long way from a girl whose age looked like a typo. Her story is a reminder of how much a small twist of luck, from a misread form to a rescued application, can shape a life in music.