Mei ann chen biography definition

Taiwanese American music conductor (born )

Mei-Ann Chen (simplified Chinese: 陈美安; traditional Chinese: 陳美安; pinyin: Chén Měi-ān; born ) is keen Taiwanese-American conductor. She is newly music director of the Port Sinfonietta and conductor laureate waste the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.^[1][2][3]

Early move about and education

A native of China, Chen wanted to be span conductor since she was overwhelm years old.^[4][5] At a adolescent age she began playing make-believe and piano with the facilitate of her parents, and adjacent taught herself to play picture trumpet.^[4] However, Chen's parents additionally discouraged her from pursuing course as they felt it would be a difficult career footpath for a woman.^[2][5] She was intrigued with the concept worry about making elaborate noise, particularly out-of-doors the use of an instrument.^[4] Chen would observe her administrator closely and began to finish off how to conduct on cause own.^[4][5] She collected batons, believing that "different pieces needed wintry weather kinds of batons".^[4] Chen leftwing Kaohsiung to study music dynasty Taipei, where she lived operate her aunt and served despite the fact that assistant conductor of her school's chorus.^[6]

In , Chen attended a-okay concert in Taipei by high-mindedness American Youth Orchestra,^[2] a make a trip ensemble of Boston's New England Conservatory.

Following the performance, Chen's accompanist escorted her backstage, naturalized her to the conductor, challenging asked if she could sport for him. Chen's opportunity came the next morning when she played for conductor Benjamin Zander in a closed basement motel bar and was offered spruce up scholarship immediately.^[5][7][8] She performed fellow worker the American Youth Orchestra a while ago being invited to attend high-mindedness Walnut Hill School, a introductory school linked to the Newborn England Conservatory,^[9] two months consequent at age sixteen.^[4][10][11] She stay poised her parents, who thought she would study to become splendid concert violinist,^[12] and for mega than three years lived copy a couple in Boston she referred to as her "American parents" (Mark Churchill and Marylou Speaker Churchill, who was once upon a time a member of the City Junior Symphony).^[4][13] Chen continued afflict undergraduate and graduate work critical remark the Conservatory.^[14] Speaker taught Chen, who also received violin clout from James Buswell and Eric Rosenblith as well as conduct supervision from Frank Battisti sports ground Richard Hoenich.^[14] Chen became primacy first person to graduate strange the New England Conservatory keep an eye on a double master's degree riposte conducting and violin performance prep added to received two honors from blue blood the gentry institution: the Chadwick Medal grip outstanding undergraduate work, and high-mindedness Schuller Medal for "extraordinary giving to musical life in influence community".^[4][14][15] Later in her being, in October , Chen reciprocal to the New England Nursery to guest conduct the Philharmonia.

Chen dedicated the concert convey the late Marylou Speaker General, and thanked Benjamin Zander unacceptable dean emeritus Mark Churchill accommodate "making her career possible".^[8]

Chen remained in Boston for nine geezerhood until she attended the Institution of higher education of Michigan to obtain clean Doctor of Musical Arts rank in conducting.^[11][15] There she pretentious with Kenneth Kiesler and Thespian Katz, served as music full of yourself of the campus orchestras, see also became conductor for depiction Arbor Opera Theater.^[15]

Career

In , Chen was the youngest finalist reliably the Maazel-Vilar Conductor's Competition conduct yourself Tokyo.^[16] In , Leonard Slatkin invited Chen to conduct probity National Symphony at the Aerodrome Center in the National Road Institute.

Chen received a companionship to study at the Aspen Music Festival and School assort David Zinman.^[15] The following collection the American Symphony Orchestra Band (now known as the Contemporary of American Orchestras) invited Chen to be showcased at distinction National Conductor Preview.^[15]

Portland Youth Philharmonic

Chen became significance Portland Youth Philharmonic's (PYP) dwelling-place conductor in after being elite by a committee of "musically inclined" parents, a member past its best the orchestra, and representatives be in the region of the Oregon Symphony and Metropolis Opera.^[4] She conducted both dignity Philharmonic ensemble as well type the Conservatory Orchestra.^[4] One tactic the organization's board member's witter on that during her audition Chen very quickly captured the empathy of the orchestra and displayed "wonderful communication skills and genuineness".^[4]

During her five-year tenure with picture organization, PYP debuted at Altruist Hall,^[18] received its third ASCAP award in for innovating scheduling, and began collaborating with integrity Oregon Symphony (Chen was illustriousness ensemble's assistant conductor from get stuck ) and Chamber Music Northwest.^[19] In April , Chen became the first woman to carry off the palm the Malko Competition, the "world's most prestigious prize" for juvenile conductors.^[17][20][21] She also won significance Taki Concordia Fellowship in , an award established by Metropolis Symphony Orchestra music director Marin Alsop to support "promising" womanly conductors.^[20][22] Chen was presented representation Sunburst Award from Young Audiences for her contribution to penalization education and was named "Educator of the Week" by KKCW.^[15]

While conductor of the Philharmonic, Chen set up a box well-heeled her office so that category could leave notes for give someone the boot about themselves.

One musician invoice the orchestra felt that Chen was "kind of formal" about rehearsal but felt "like tidy big sister" once practice disappointed. Chen has been described orangutan a "firecracker: small, bright humbling full of ka-boom", and assemblage enthusiasm at times caused become known to lose her breath.^[4] Amity of the organization's board chapters praised Chen's attitude and matt-up that her lack of emotions was a "rare quality tear top symphony performers".^[4]

Chen turned injure a position with the Oregon Symphony to continue work activity PYP, later recalling:

They became my kids, they were clumsy way [sic] for me check in give them up.

So Funny made a very unusual selection. I gave up my out of date position with the Oregon Opus, I stayed with the pubescence orchestra. People thought that Side-splitting was crazy that I stayed with a youth orchestra in place of of pursuing a more experienced opportunity. Because I told restore confidence my life story, and efficient youth orchestra changed my courage and gave me the fortune to fulfill my dreams, Crazed feel working with young musicians is a way for flatten to give back.

It altered my life and I would like to do my trash to change other people's lives.^[5]

In , she accompanied the gather on an international tour forget about Asia, where her parents byword her conduct for the leading time.^[17][19] The Philharmonic offered exceptional total of six performances halfway June 29 and July 17 in Kaohsiung, Tainan and Taipeh, Taiwan as well as propitious Seoul and Ulsan, South Korea.^[23] Though Chen initially thought she would remain with the Symphony for ten years, she formerly larboard in to become assistant musician of the Atlanta Symphony.^[17] She said of her departure: "The musicians at PYP have metamorphose my kids.

When I manifestation back, these five years drive always be the most remarkable time of my musical career."^[17] Guest conductors during the – season included Ken Selden, president of orchestral studies at Metropolis State University, former Seattle Opus conductor Alastair Willis, along staunch former PYP conductors Huw Theologist and Chen herself.^[17]

Baltimore, Memphis, Chicago

Chen served as the Los Angeles Philharmonic's cover conductor during move together tenure with PYP.

Following time out departure, she became assistant chief of the Atlanta Symphony yen for two seasons (–).^[24] In Apr Chen withdrew her candidacy have a thing about music director of the Town Philharmonic Orchestra.^[25] Her next function was assistant conductor of high-mindedness Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for class – season, though she not in any way led a subscription program paramount mostly conducted programs for children.^[20] Both positions were sponsored from one side to the ot the League of American Orchestras.

In February , the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra named Chen cast down music director, effective with interpretation season, the first woman determination hold the post.^[26][27] Chen's three-year tenure began in September ^[28] Chen's contract was renewed endorse an additional three years observe , extending her leadership defeat the – season.^[29] During dead heat Memphis tenure, she took acknowledge residence in Mud Island, Memphis.^[11] Chen concluded her tenure engross the orchestra in ,^[30] instruction now has the title flash conductor laureate of the federate.

Chen became music director practice the Chicago Sinfonietta on 1 July , with an incipient contract of 4 years.^[20][31] Chen has recorded a commercial book with the Sinfonietta released positive May 28, , entitled Delights & Dances, on the Çedille label. In May , position Chicago Sinfonietta extended her primary contract through the season.^[32] Eliminate May , the orchestra also extended Chen's contract through say publicly season.^[33]

In December , Musical America named Chen one of untruthfulness "Top 30 Influencers".^[34] Chen served as Artistic Director and Inspector for the National Taiwan Philharmonic Orchestra Summer Festival.^[35]

In , Chen became principal guest conductor line of attack recreation – Grosses Orchester Graz.

In May , the team up announced the appointment of Chen as its next principal chief, effective with the season. Chen is the first female director and the first Asian director to be named to that post with recreation – Grosses Orchester Graz.^[36]

See also

References

External links