The South Korean cellist and conductor Han-Na Chang has been named as the new music director of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. The 29-year-old will begin her new position in September 2013, taking over from Michalis Economou.

Chang, who won first prize at the Rostropovich International Cello Competition in Paris at the age of 11, has had an international career as a cellist, but is now focused on conducting. Among the orchestras she has worked with are the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France.

The Doha-based Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra was formed four years ago and performs a mix of Western and Arabic music. At the time of its formation, the average age of its 101 musicians was just 30. The orchestra's members come from 30 different countries.

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