Described by Spanish Public Media as “A cellist with high poetic expression in both virtuosity and musicality,” the Taiwanese-American cellist Dr. Henry Chen is celebrated for his deeply expressive artistry and technical brilliance.
Dr. Chen has performed as a soloist at many of the world’s leading venues across Asia, Europe, and North America, and has been featured on radio broadcasts on numerous occasions. His recent debuts at Taiwan’s Taichung National Theatre and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts received widespread acclaim. A sought-after chamber musician and collaborator, he has shared the stage with many of today’s most esteemed artists, including Alan Chow, Hagai Shaham, Jerome Lowenthal, Joseph Silverstein, Ida and Ani Kavafian, Gregory Kalinovsky, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Evan Wong, and others. He has also been invited to perform at major festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival, and the Beijing International Music Festival, and is an alumnus of the Heifetz Institute and Meadowmount School of Music.
Dr. Chen began cello studies at the age of 13. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music from Northwestern University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Cello Performance with a Cognate in Musicology from the Northwestern University. While completing his doctorate, he also served as a teaching assistant in the String Department at the Northwestern University. His principal mentors include Hans Jørgen Jensen, Steven Doane, and Ronald Leonard, each of whom played a formative role in his musical development, and an original style in cello pedagogy.
In addition to his performance career, Dr. Chen is a dedicated educator committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. He currently serves on the faculty at the Colburn School of Performing Arts, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley, Junior Chamber Music and Riverside City College. He also coaches students in the Claremont and Walnut Valley Unified School Districts and frequently mentors young musicians through the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) program. His students have won top prizes in national competitions, performed with elite youth orchestras in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and have gone on to study at prestigious institutions such as the Manhattan School of Music, Johns Hopkins University and Northwestern University.