A mesmerizing master of the Pipa (ancient four-string Chinese lute), Yihan Chen has garnered top awards for Chinese music performance at the ART Cup Chinese International Music Competition in 1989 and the Freedom international Chinese Music Competition in 1995. She studied with Pipa master Wu Junsheng, Wang Fandi and Liu Dehai and graduated from the China Conservatory of Music, Beijing, China, in 1991.
She has performed throughout the United States and appeared at many major international festivals in China, France, Portugal, Poland, Canada, Japan and Italy, such as Spoleto Festival USA 2012, Lincoln Center Festival, Festival de création musicale de Radio France, Le Festival Avignon, Le Festival Musique en Scène, Encontros Acarte 98 Portugal, La Cité de la Musique, Lotus Festival, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival, Lowell Folk Festival, Montana Folk Festival, Richmond Folk Festival, Skaneateles Festival, et al. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, Merkin Concert Hall and other leading venues.
Ms. Chen has collaborated with internationally renowned composers such as Chen Yi, Zhou Long , Chen Qigang, Bright Sheng, Eric Moe, Fang Man, Ruo Huang, and Lei Liang. She has toured as soloist with the Hua Xia Chamber Ensemble (Beijing) and Music From China (New York City) at the. Currently she is the first chair pipa of the Zhonghua Chinese Orchestra-USA (ZCO) based in Los Angeles.
She has also cooperated with Carpe Diem String Quartet, Lydian String Quartet, Alex Skolnick (the lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Testament), Christopher Garcia (percussionist), Luis Villegas (guitarist), Ground Works, ChamberFest Cleveland, Civitas Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, Prism Quartet, Voices of Music, et al. Her performances have been critically acclaimed in the Washington Post a few times.
Yihan Chen's recordings include The Brahmin, Three Images Of Laughter (Hugo), Time to Listen (Ellipsis Arts), Zhou Long-Talse From the Cave, and Hua Xia (Delos), Qigang Chen (Virgin Classics, 2006), Planetary Coalition (Alex Skolnick & various artist, 2014), Jin Yin (Civitas Ensemble, 2014), Uncanny Affable Machines (Eric Moe, 2018).
Yihan Chen’s website can be accessed at http://www.yihanchenmusic.com.