Ray CHEN

• 1st prize, Violin 2009
  

© CMIREB/IMKEB - Laurent Friob

(1989, Taipei, China (Taiwan), Australian nationality)
Winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition (2009) and the Yehudi Menuhin Competition (2008), Ray Chen is among the most compelling young violinists today. His recent performances, including debut recitals at the Kennedy Center in Washington D. C. and the Merkin Hall in New York, have enraptured both the audiences and the critics. “Ray Chen can do pretty much anything he wants on the violin” (Anne Midgette, The Washington Post). “His whole performance was out of this world” (Elise Simoens, De Standaard).
Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, Ray Chen was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 15, where he continues to work with Aaron Rosand on expanding his repertoire. Mr. Chen plays the “Huggins” Stradivarius, on loan from The Nippon Music Foundation, and the 1721 Stradivarius known as “The Macmillan”, provided as part of the award for winning the 2008-09 Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York.
Mr. Chen’s performance of Bach’s Double Violin Concerto became the muchdiscussed highlight of the 2009 Aspen Music Festival. Maestro Vengerov, who met Mr. Chen while serving on the jury of the Menuhin Competition in Cardiff, immediately engaged him to perform with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra in St. Petersburg as well as at the opening concert of the next Menuhin Competition in April 2010 in Oslo.
Ray Chen’s upcoming engagements include a performance with the Taipei Symphony at this year’s World Expo in Shanghai, a North American orchestral debut with the New Jersey Symphony as well as concerts with the Orchestre National de Lille, Deutsche Symphonie Berlin and Sydney Symphony. Mr. Chen will also be the featured soloist of the Rostropovich Festival in Moscow.
In 2010, Ray Chen has signed an exclusive multi-year recording contract with Sony Classical and a worldwide general management contract with CAMI Music. His first album on Sony Classical, slated to be released at the end of 2010, will feature a selection of pieces — from Bach to Sarasate — that reflect the scope of Mr. Chen's talent as well as his compelling personality. An orchestral recording dedicated to late 19th century virtuoso repertoire is planned for 2011.

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