BIOGRAPHY

Shih-Yen Chen/ Clarinet

Born in Taiwan, Chen is the current second clarinet at Richardson Symphony Orchestra and concertmaster at Dallas Asian Winds. 

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Considered an active performer, Chen has participated in various solo and ensemble performances. An advocate of new music, Chen is the clarinetist of Hear No Evil, a Perriot ensemble that performs the music of our time in the Austin area. She has appeared in several music series and festivals, including Tetractys, Beerthoven, Golden Hornet, Excessive Noise, the New Music and Art Summit, Texas Music Festival, Chautauqua Music Institute, and Pierre Monteux Festival. Chen was also invited to perform “Kheir: Fantasy for clarinet and Sinfonietta” by Max Grafe with UT New Music Ensemble and "Der Klein Harlekin" by Karlheinz Stockhausen in the UT Wind Ensemble concert as a soloist. She has also been heard on four continents with the UT Wind Ensemble world tour. In addition, Chen has performed Clarinet Concerto by Aaron Copland with the National Taiwan Normal University symphony orchestra in NTNU Grand Auditorium and Song-Yi Concert Hall in Taiwan. 

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Chen was named third national prize in the Music Teacher National Association Young Artist Competition, 1 st prize in the NTNU concerto competition, and winner of the Ann P. Winkelstein scholarship, Nancie Monteux Barendse Scholarship, and Kung Hsue She scholarship. 

Chen earned her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, Master of Music  Performance at National Taiwan Normal University, and Bachelor of Music Performance at Soochow University.