Chief Executive Officer — Che-Yen Chen

Taiwanese-American violist Che-Yen Chen has established himself as an active performer and educator. After winning First Prize at the 2003 Primrose International Viola Competition and the ‘President Prize’ at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, he was praised for his ability to find not just the subtle emotion, but the humanity hidden within the music.

As a founding and former member of the Formosa Quartet, Chen won First Prize at the 2006 London International String Quartet Competition and has released recordings on EMI, Delos, New World, and Bridge Records. Through the Formosa Quartet, Chen co-founded the Formosa Chamber Music Festival in Taiwan, realizing his vision of providing world-class music training to young Taiwanese musicians while fostering a global exchange of talent and artistic relationships. Chen served as principal violist of the San Diego Symphony and Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra for eight years and has appeared as guest principal with orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and Toronto Symphony.

A former member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two, Chen regularly performs and teaches at music festivals across North America and Asia. In 2023, he was named Chief Executive Officer of the Taipei Music Academy and Festival, marking a significant step in his mission to elevate music education in Taiwan. In this pivotal role, he not only mentors the next generation of talent but also serves as a cultural ambassador, bridging the unique ‘Taiwan Experience’ to a global audience through music.

Currently, Chen is Professor of Viola Performance and Chamber Music at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music. He has previously served on the faculties of USC Thornton School of Music, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, California State University Fullerton, and McGill University. A native of Taipei, Chen began studying the viola with Ben Lin and became a four-time winner of the National Viola Competition in Taiwan. At age fourteen, he moved to the U.S. to attend The Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied under Michael Tree and Joseph de Pasquale, later continuing his education at The Juilliard School under Paul Neubauer and The Juilliard Quartet. In 2023, Chen joined the renowned Ehnes Quartet.