CHELSEA CHEN

Biography

Organist and composer Chelsea Chen (b. 1983) is internationally renowned for her concerts of “rare musicality” and “lovely lyrical grandeur,” and a compositional style that is “charming” and “irresistible” (Los Angeles Times).

One of the most promising organists of her generation, Chelsea Chen has electrified audiences throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia in venues such as Singapore’s Esplanade, Hong Kong’s Cultural Centre, Kishinev’s National Organ Hall, and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. As a composer she is broadening the classical organ repertoire with her own works based on Asian folksongs.

In 2010, Ms. Chen made her Austrian debut at the International Orgelfest Schwaz in Innsbruck. In addition, she has soloed with the Juilliard Percussion Orchestra in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and with the Musica Sacra Chamber Orchestra in Colorado. Committed to new music, she has premiered several works by Juilliard composers Edward Niedermaier and Ola Gjeilo and Yale composer Jordan Kuspa. Appearing in concert with Juilliard harpist Arielle as the ensemble Duo Mango, she has championed works by Paul Desenne, Yui Kitamura, and Roderick Gorby.

Ms. Chen has received acclaim as a composer since she premiered her own “Taiwanese Suite” (2003) and “Taiwan Tableaux” (2007) at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Recently her solo organ pieces have been performed in Canada and Taiwan, and her most recent work, “Jasmine Fantasy” (for violin, organ, and strings), has been performed by orchestras in the United States and Indonesia.

The recipient of the 2009 Lili Boulanger Memorial Award and winner of the 2005 Augustana/Reuter National Organ Competition, Ms. Chen is a graduate of Juilliard, where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. She was also a full scholarship recipient at Yale University, where she earned an Artist Diploma. Her major organ teachers include Thomas Murray, John Weaver, Paul Jacobs, Monte Maxwell and Leslie Robb, and her primary piano teachers include Baruch Arnon, Jane Bastien and Lori Bastien Vickers.

Ms. Chen recorded her debut CD and DVD, “Live at Heinz Chapel,” on the Heinz Chapel organ in Pittsburgh, PA, at the 2005 Convention of the American Institute of Organbuilders. Her playing has been aired on CNN.com, “Pipedreams” from American Public Media, Hawaii Public Radio, and Taiwan’s Good News Radio.

Chelsea Chen is Artist-in-Residence at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, and a member of Duo Wong-Chen with violinist Lewis Wong.

Current as of January 2011