We were lucky to catch up with Xiwei Wang recently and have shared our conversation below.

Xiwei, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I think it should have been after I officially launched my photography website, which was after grad school. I found that I excelled at one-on-one interactions, whether teaching at my current job or during portrait photography sessions. These settings allowed me to connect more deeply with people, generating creativity and new ideas in a relaxed state that I could quickly bring to life.

This aligns with feedback from people I’ve worked with, who often mention feeling so comfortable that they sometimes even relax their boundaries. I believe this stems from my heightened sensitivity to people’s emotions and feedback. I genuinely enjoy making others feel at ease through my interpersonal skills, which is why both friends and colleagues note my ability to perceive things others might miss.

Ultimately, discovering and embracing my sensitivity guided me toward pursuing a professional path in the artistic field.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been learning piano since childhood. Many of my teachers praised my ability to produce beautiful sounds and encouraged me to pursue performance professionally, which began my 25-year journey with the piano. However, performing itself never brought me any special experience or joy. Spending extensive time preparing for performances that weren’t guaranteed to succeed created too much pressure for me.

Instead, I discovered that I seemed to prefer education when I began teaching courses in university and communicating with children of different ages. But liking something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s suitable. I’ve been constantly seeking opportunities to explore this field in different places, institutions, and schools, including various formats such as group classes and private lessons, until I found my current job—working as a piano teacher in a private institution with my own studio. This position allows me to fully utilize my teaching talents, gives me space to develop new educational methods, and simultaneously maintains my creativity. Of course, I also have my own private lessons, and I work as a photographer as well.
I believe the problems I help students solve through education include: helping them make the right choices at the right time and assisting them in developing good mindsets and study habits on their musical journey. I don’t think education is merely about imparting knowledge. Music is a subject full of imagination that cultivates aesthetic appreciation, and beyond that, it’s also excellent for establishing good study habits and developing character. Similarly with photography, I hope clients can showcase their best sides and discover different aspects of themselves.

If I were to summarize what I can offer others in one sentence, whether through music education or photography: I can provide you with a profound experience and help you see more possibilities within yourself, thereby unleashing your potential.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

In terms of music education: I hope to eventually research and develop my own educational system and style, which of course requires me to have a comprehensive understanding of music education itself, especially piano education. I want to share my thoughts, observations, and various teaching case studies to give more people a more down-to-earth understanding of learning musical instruments.

In photography: I hope to win international awards and ultimately open my own photography exhibition. When shooting, I have many romantic fantasies, and I’d like to combine these with my photographs to create a special exhibition.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Understanding myself more comprehensively: recognizing my limitations, understanding my talents, knowing how much effort I can invest, and acknowledging what I cannot accomplish.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wxw.photography/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sissiwxw?igsh=MTAyanRuenNlMTY4&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fbb9C3k3X/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiwei-wang-a25a51273/

Image Credits

Yun Li/Dong Yan