Nan-Cheng Chen's Biography

Nan-Cheng Chen, cellist

(January 2011)
Cellist Nan-Cheng Chen
A solo recitalist and a chamber musician, cellist Nan-Cheng Chen is passionate about music making and connecting with audiences through the language of music. Nan-Cheng was a soloist with Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Metro-West Symphony, Quincy Symphony, Symphony Pro Musica, and has participated music festivals such as Sarasota Music Festival, Heifetz Institute, Encore School for Strings, Kneisel Hall and serves regularly as a teaching assistant at the Music Festival of Chinese Foundation of Performing Art.

Nan-Cheng’s performance was reviewed by Worcester Telegram and Gazette that stated: “It was the kind of performance one might hear live only once a decade.” Among Nan-Cheng’s many honors and awards are first prize in the 2010 Queens Symphony Concerto Competition, 2006 Chamber Music Society Competition, 2005 Quincy Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, 2004 Hsin-Tian Temple National Cello Competition in Taiwan, and 2003 Metro-West Concerto Competitions. He also won top prizes in 2010 Manhattan School of Music Chamber Music Competition, 2010 Long Island Conservatory Young Artist Competition, 2006 Fischoff National Chamber Competition and 1999 Taiwan National Cello Competition. Nan-Cheng has also been featured on NPR’s From The Top national radio broadcast in 2006.

As an enthusiastic chamber musician, he has appeared in various venues such as Bargemusic, Merkin Hall, The Queens Museum, The Plaza Hotel, Alice Tully Hall and Boston’s Jordan Hall. He is also a founding member of the award winning Neptune Trio, a founding member Ensemble Tomscha that plays regularly at Bargemusic and Ethical Culture Society, and is now music director of the newly founded New Asia Chamber Music Society.

A Native of Taiwan, Nan-Cheng Chen came to United States at the age of twelve and attended Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, studying under Professor Eleonore Schoenfeld of University of Southern California. He then entered the New England Conservatory Preparatory Program at Walnut Hill School in Natick, MA to study with Mark Churchill in 2003. Nan-Cheng received his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2010 from The Juilliard School and is currently at the same school pursuing his Master of Music Degree, studying with Joel Krosnick.

Nan-Cheng’s spring engagements includes directing the New Asia Chamber Music Society to have their first Weill Hall debut in April, a concerto performance with The Queens Symphony in May and a recital three major cities in Taiwan during July.