With performances described as "electrifying" and "brilliant," Chelsea Chen, 24, is in increasing demand as a solo and chamber artist. Her performances continually elicit high praise for her musically exceptional command of the organ. A Juilliard graduate and Fulbright scholar, she is broadening the classical organ repertoire with her own Asian-inspired compositions.
Ms. Chen recorded her debut CD and DVD, "Live at Heinz Chapel," on the Heinz Chapel organ at the 2005 Convention of the American Institute of Organbuilders. Her playing has since been aired on "Pipedreams" from American Public Media, Hawaii Public Radio, and Taiwan's Good News Radio.
In 2006 Ms. Chen was featured both at the AGO Region IX Conclave in Las Vegas and at the AGO National Convention in Chicago. 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. She premiered to great success her own "Taiwanese Suite" (2003) and "Taiwan Tableaux" (2007) at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, and has premiered several works by Juilliard composers Teddy Niedermaier and Ola Gjeilo. Future concerts include debuts at Singapore's Esplanade and Hong Kong's Cultural Centre.
Ms. Chen has been the recipient of many awards, including the Robert Baker prize at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and the John Erskine Prize for scholastic and artistic distinction at The Juilliard School. In addition, she has taken first prizes in competitions including the 2005 Augustana/Reuter National Undergraduate organ competition, the 2003 Region IX AGO RCYO competition, and the 2005 Musical Merit Foundation competition. In 2006, she was an Aspen Music Festival full scholarship recipient for piano.
Originally from San Diego, California, Ms. Chen studied piano from a young age with Jane Bastien and Lori Bastien Vickers. At fifteen she began organ lessons with Leslie Robb, and later with Monte Maxwell. She then went on to study with John Weaver and Paul Jacobs at Juilliard, receiving her Bachelor's and Master's degrees. From 2003-06 she was organist at Emmanuel Pre*****yterian Church in Manhattan and a leader of the Juilliard Christian Fellowship. In 2006-2007 she composed and performed in Taiwan as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar. Currently she is in the Artist Diploma program at Yale, studying with Thomas Murray.