Before embarking on his self-taught composition journey in 2020, Owens Huang had just two years of piano training under his belt. However, during his college years, his passion for music flourished as he amassed a collection of thousands of CDs. A graduate of National Taiwan University with a degree in chemistry, Huang went on to earn an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and started a career in hedge funds on Wall Street. Now settled in the San Francisco Bay Area, he manages a multi-million-dollar investment portfolio.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 proved to be a pivotal moment for Huang. With more time at home, he reignited his love for music, revisiting the piano and setting off on a new path in music composition. He drew inspiration from international politics and financial markets, and within just four years, he was organizing music concerts that received enthusiastic responses from audiences in Europe and America. His work has garnered over 500,000 views on streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify.
As the world shut down and people isolated at home, Huang returned to his piano, realizing the importance of understanding music theory. He faced a choice between studying music theory or programming, ultimately opting for the former, as he noted, “The notation system of sheet music is essentially a form of programming.”
To enhance his skills, Huang embraced online learning and enrolled in music theory courses via Coursera. Just two months later, he excelled in a 30-second composition assignment, marking the start of his composing career. He soon sought out a music teacher for one-on-one lessons to deepen his understanding.
Huang’s compositions often reflect his experiences in the investment world. “I see the financial market as a collective human emotion toward optimism or pessimism about the future,” Huang explained. “I draw musical inspiration from these emotional experiences.”
A significant moment in his journey came when flutist Ann Kuo visited and expressed interest in his compositions. They explored the idea of recording and releasing Huang’s music on streaming platforms. His instrumental pieces are tailored for European and American audiences, and initially, he struggled with effective marketing strategies.
Not long after, Huang met Kaye-Ting Hsieh, chairwoman of the North America Taiwan Technology Conference and executive director of the TaiwanNext Foundation. She resonated with his music and encouraged him to sharpen his promotional efforts. Following her advice, Huang reached out to numerous playlist creators in Europe and America, successfully getting his works featured in classical and instrumental playlists.
Performing under his stage name “OHNomad,” which embodies the spirit of a nomad exploring diverse musical styles, Huang has since attracted over 10,000 monthly listeners online. His success places him among the top 4% of popular musicians on Spotify—a noteworthy achievement.
In light of ongoing geopolitical tensions, such as the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and global economic instability, Huang remarked, “In such circumstances, I needed to find stocks that outperformed expectations in a collapsing market.” He maintains an optimistic outlook amidst prevailing pessimism, which inspired him to compose “Stream Light in the Cave,” symbolizing the journey from darkness to light.
Recently inspired by Jensen Huang, the founder of Nvidia, Huang performed “The Silicon Island Seven” in Taiwan, using music to tell the stories of the island’s residents over the past 400 years and showcasing Taiwan’s evolution into a land of immense potential.
His first sonata, “Place of Origins,” released last year in Taiwan, won first place in the adult composition category from the California Music Teachers Association for 2024. Collaborating with fellow musicians, he held two concerts at the National Concert Hall in Taipei, drawing over 600 attendees.
On October 18, Huang is set to present a concert titled “Universal Connection” in Silicon Valley. His goal is to connect diverse people, cultures, and languages through music, applying the same disciplined approach he uses in investment research to explore melodies from various countries.
The premiere of his piece “Danielle” is particularly poignant, inspired by the tragic October 2023 Hamas attack on an Israeli concert that took the life of his friend Eyal Waldman’s daughter. Overcome with emotion upon hearing the news, Huang crafted a composition that symbolizes the bond between father and daughter, featuring the clarinet as the father and the flute as the daughter, beginning with a gentle dialogue and culminating in a heart-wrenching farewell amid chaos.
