Jenny Chen clearly has the makings of a major talent…

Teen pianist shows depth, texture in performance with HSO It‟s tempting to say that Yen Yu "Jenny" Chen, at 16, plays the piano with extraordinary maturity for her age. But the truth is, the native of Taiwan plays remarkably well for a person of any age. Saturday night at The Forum, Chen charmed the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra with a passionate interpretation of Maurice Ravel‟s Piano Concerto in G, composed in 1931. The pianist, who earned the chance to play with the HSO and conductor Stuart Malina by winning a piano concerto competition a year ago at Messiah College, has a way of hanging on to the edge of a note before pushing onward, giving her play a wonderful depth and texture. While her performance was not flawless, she finished perfectly on the French composer‟s quick-fingered, jazzy final movement.

A quote from Jenny Chen reads, "I was asked to play for people and I discovered how much fun it is to share my music with others." Jenny, as much fun as you have sharing your music with others, we have just as much; if not more fun listening to you play. Jenny gave a wonderful performance in this 2008 Gina Bachauer Young Artist Competition. She had fun with her music and yet took her performance and the compositions very seriously. I have to say that her fun and smiley performance was very refreshing due to the stressful nature of the competition. Jenny (Yen-Yu) Chen's first piece for the 2nd round was Haydn's Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI/50. She did some wonderful things with this piece and I especially enjoyed her interpretation and performance of the 2nd movement. Her second piece was Chopin's Tarantella in A-flat Major, Op. 43, which proved her to have an excellent technique. This was followed by Chopin's Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1. Her Nocturne was gorgeous and really pulled me into it. She had a delicate ear for the sounds of the piano and adapted quickly and responsively to the piano on which she was performing (a Steinway Model D). Her final piece was Prokofiev's Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14. With this piece, she proved herself to be a wonderful artist.
Overall, her 2nd round proved to be an emotionally charged performance. She really connected with her audience and pulled them into the emotion and power of the music she was playing…

Jenny is extremely mature musically,”She has a great deal of nuance and tone color in her play. She is an amazingly expressive pianist.

Jenny Chen debuted at Carnegie Hall last spring. She was the Young Artist in Residence on American Public Media’s “Performance Today,” and she has played solo recitals and as a chamber musician in concert halls around the world, including here at Tippet Rise. But the pianist lets none of this get to her head. She is modest, sincere, and exuberantly playful…and she was all of these things while performing a recent concert for children and their families at Tippet Rise. “Let me teach you the basket dance,” Jenny said enthusiastically to the children gathered at the foot of the stage in the Tiara Acoustic Shell on Sunday, August 18. With much laughter—most of it her own—she did. In between dance lessons and storytelling, she played works by Chopin, Brahms, Liszt and Debussy. She quizzed the children (“is this music happy or sad?”) and, at one point, encouraged the entire audience to create a “human sea wave…like they do at baseball games” as she played Chopin’s Barcarolle, or boat song. You’re beautiful!” she shouted to the audience as they “waved” while she played.
By the end of the concert, the entire audience had truly experienced the music—by dancing, clapping, laughing, and waving to it—and the children were huddled with Jenny around the piano, fascinated by her playing and by the instrument.

A quote from Jenny Chen reads, "I was asked to play for people and I discovered how much fun it is to share my music with others." Jenny, as much fun as you have sharing your music with others, we have just as much, if not more fun listening to you play :) Jenny gave a wonderful performance in this 2008 Gina Bachauer Young Artist Competition. She had fun with her music and yet took her performance and the compositions very seriously. I have to say that her fun and smiley performance was very refreshing due to the stressful nature of the competition.
Jenny (Yen-Yu) Chen's first piece for the 2nd round was Haydn's Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI/50. She did some wonderful things with this piece and I especially enjoyed her interpretation and performance of the 2nd movement. Her second piece was Chopin's Tarantella in A-flat Major, Op. 43, which proved her to have an excellent technique. This was followed by Chopin's Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1. Her Nocturne was gorgeous and really pulled me into it. She had a delicate ear for the sounds of the piano and adapted quickly and responsively to the piano on which she was performing (a Steinway Model D). Her final piece was Prokofiev's Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14. With this piece, she proved herself to be a wonderful artist. Overall, her 2nd round proved to be an emotionally charged performance. She really connected with her audience and pulled them into the emotion and power of the music she was playing.

You are a black belt of the piano

Your artistry as a pianist is enhanced by the warmth of your spirit, which is easily communicated to the audience. I am excited to watch your career unfold in the years ahead.

First of all, you are a very vivacious, energetic presence on stage, and a wonderful performer. I greatly enjoyed hearing your interpretation of this piece, which I hadn’t encountered before. In addition, the piece itself was perfectly suited to this assignment. The fact that it is based on the children’s game also called oga gave you an excellent angle on introducing the piece within a wider cultural context. I also appreciated your detailed handout, and the fact that you passed out the score for people to follow along as you played. Other strengths of this mini lecture-recital were the way you called our attention to the call-and-response form of musical motifs within the piece, the very competent way you clapped the syncopated left-hand rhythms to call our attention to them, and your larger emphasis on the Onyeji’s emphasis on the piano’s potential to serve in a percussive role. The presentation was also well-timed, with a good balance of background information, discussion of particular musical parameters, and performance.
Excellent!

Her musical insights and active artistic imagination are astounding. Her pursuit of the highest standard of piano playing is a joy to see and hear.

I will remember You with the greatest thoughts and with the highest and deepest musical moments! Hope to see and to play with You again!!!

She is one of the most fierce and masterful virtuosi of our time…, she warmed and won the hearts of all who she embraced with her commentary and blazing virtuosity.

Jenny Chen represents a new generation of performers. Her passionate artistry expresses her individuality and excitement about music. Despite all her successes, the energy and insight of her music has not lost the joy of youth, a contradictory mix where the rigors of virtuosity abet, rather than hinder, the spontaneity, the freshness of her music.

I had never before seen such profound talent, humility, industry and promise. The thing that strikes me most about Jenny is her pure passion for music-specifically piano, and unwavering commitment to perfecting her craft.

I had never before seen such profound talent, humility, industry and promise. The thing that strikes me most about Jenny is her pure passion for music-specifically piano, and unwavering commitment to perfecting her craft.

Jenny Chen has proved she is an absolute and passionate student in my class. She has prepared every class in a highly scholastic and entertaining manner. She was seeking creative and innovative performance exceedingly. She is a head and shoulder above among the class.

Jenny was an outstanding student. She participated often and enthusiastically. She was always eager to keep sharpening her skills. Her composition was excellent, and we sang it in class, which is a Compliment.

Jenny Chen has been my student at the Curtis Institute of Music for the past six years. She is an extraordinary talent, and plays with an amazing understanding of music for her eighteen years of age. Jenny is a delightful person, warm and totally loveable!

I first heard of Ms. Yen Yu (Jenny) Chen when she was only 11 years old. Within 15 seconds, I knew I was listening to someone very special. Jenny is an artist, with an amazing technique and a big musical personality. Her love for the music is obvious in every note she plays

She is a remarkably sensitive musician with a dazzling technique. Her playing is very intelligent as well as highly imaginative.

She was a dynamic, imaginative musician, with a particular gift for communication that has intensified through the years.

I have known her over many years and was on the Jury of the International Liszt Competition in Utrecht, Netherlands when she was awarded the “Finest Young Pianist in the Competition”. She is the winner of many international competitions. She is an exciting and passionate performer.

I have known Jenny for almost 14 years, having been her primary teacher from the age of 6 until 12 years old when she left Taiwan to attend the Curtis Institute. Since then, I have continued to instruct her during summer breaks and have witnessed her steady and progressive transformation into a mature pianist. Jenny is a young pianist whose innate musicianship and individuality is apparent as soon as she begins playing. A born performer whose playing on stage often transcends her best moments in the studio bear witness to her special talent. In addition, the amazing speed at which she learns and digests new works is seen only in musicians of the highest order.