Biography
Yi-Yang Chen shot onto the international stage with back-to-back victories in 2018 Sussex International Piano Competition, 2017 Washington International Competition, and the Waring International Piano Competition. The Worthing Herald music critic Richard Amey praised his recent performance “flair for the unusual and his technical and artistic capacity to deliver,” as well as his “musical and emotional intelligence, dexterity and virtuosity,” listening to Chen as soloist in Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No.5 “Egyptian” with the Worthing Symphony Orchestra. His vibrant playing at the Pacific international Piano Competition (Canada) was recognized by the judges, who selected him for the first prize (“…Yi-Yang showed an impressive breadth of emotional investment and natural affinity for the music he played. The informed individuality and command of his performance was immediately compelling to the judges. We feel this young man has a fine future as an artist. He seems to 'own' the piano as he plays, and this makes his performance extremely powerful” - Dr. Robin McCabe).
Yi-Yang Chen is the assistant professor of piano and music theory at East Tennessee State University since 2017. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Chen has been playing the piano since the age of 8. He holds a Master of Music from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Robert McDonald and Jerome Lowenthal. Chen is currently a doctoral candidate in Piano Performance at the Eastman School of music, where he also received the Bachelor of Music degree- studying under Douglas Humpherys. He also has solo/chamber masterclasses with Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Daniel Pollack, Joseph Kalichstein, Glenn Dicterow, Thomas Sauer and with members of the Cleveland, Shanghai, Borromeo, Brentano, Ying, and Guarneri String Quartets.
Chen is recipient of piano pedagogy awards/grants and has presented lectures, workshops, and master classes in Europe, China, Australia, Taiwan, Myanmar, and the U.S. His students are prize winners of international and national competitions. Prof. Chen is an active adjudicator and has judged national and international piano competitions, such as Vanderbilt University Collegiate Concerto Competition, Monolov International Piano Competition (NYC), ETSU International Piano Competition, ECU Young Artist Piano Competition, Krogulski International Piano Competition, International Open Music Competition of Australia, etc. Yi-Yang Chen is the director of ETSU International Summer Festival, and is also serving on faculty at a Montecito Music Festival, Ambassador of Tarnow International Piano Festival, and Connecticut Chopin Piano Academy.
Chen has captivated audiences worldwide with his flamboyant playing. He has performed on four continents in acclaimed venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center in New York, Melbourne Recital Centre, National Concert Hall in Taipei, Banff Music Centre in Canada, and the Assembly Hall in Worthing, UK, with such orchestras as the Worthing Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Avanti Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonic Orchestra, National Chinese Orchestra, and the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2018, Chen was invited by the Taiwanese Embassy to give a solo recital at The Embassy Series in Arts Club of Washington (Home of President James Monroe). He has appeared at the Perlman Music Festival, Taos School of Music Summer Chamber Music Festival, Banff Music Centre, Music Academy of the West, Four Seasons Winter Workshop, and Brevard Music Center.
A wealth of experience enables Chen to become an outstanding teacher and performer. As winner of the 2012 MTNA National Young Artist Piano Competition, Chen was given a Steinway piano and two concerts in Miami sponsored by the Chopin Foundation (USA) as his prize. In a review of his 2017 solo recital at Carnegie Weill Hall, New York Concert Review wrote, “He negotiated this difficult work with what appeared to be the greatest of ease. The passagework was sparkling, and the energy never flagging. Mr. Chen held the line and momentum throughout, challenges which many players struggle with in this work […]. It was a powerhouse performance. His bold, take-noholds approach was all that one hopes for in this work. It is a high-risk proposition that demands a large technique, and Mr. Chen delivered. I’ve heard many performances of this sonata, and Mr. Chen’s ranks among the best. “ Chen also received top prizes at the Hilton Head International Piano Competition, American Prize (Professional division), Kerikeri International Piano Competition (New Zealand), Seattle International Piano competition, Thailand International Piano Competition, San Jose International Piano Competition, and Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford.
Yi-Yang Chen is a member of Music Teachers National Association, College Music Society, and Mu Phi Epsilon. He enjoys swimming, biking, traveling, and composing. Yi-Yang is currently working on a recording project with Champs Hill label (UK), the release is scheduled for 2021.
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