A “thoughtful musician well beyond his years” (The Republic), pianist Sean Chen shares his “alluring, colorfully shaded renditions” (New York Times) and “genuinely sensitive” (LA Times) playing with audiences around the world in solo and chamber recitals, concerto performances, and masterclasses. After winning the 2013 American Pianists Awards, placing third at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and being named a 2015 Annenberg Fellow, Mr. Chen is now a Millsap Artist in Residence at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.

Mr. Chen has performed with many prominent orchestras, including the Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, San Diego, Knoxville, Louisiana Philharmonic, North Carolina, Phoenix, and New West Symphony Orchestras. He has collaborated with such esteemed conductors as Leonard Slatkin, Michael Stern, Gerard Schwarz, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, and James Judd. Solo recitals have brought him to major venues worldwide, including Jordan Hall in Boston and the American Art Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Chen has served on the juries of notable piano competitions, including the Thailand International Piano Competition and Steinway competitions around the country. Given his natural inclination for teaching and approachable personality, he is particularly in demand for residencies that combine performances with master classes, school concerts, and artist conversations.

A multifaceted musician, Mr. Chen also transcribes, composes, and improvises. His transcriptions of such orchestral works as Ravel’s La Valse, Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, and the Adagio movement of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, have been received with glowing acclaim and enthusiasm.

Born in Florida, Mr. Chen grew up in the Los Angeles area of Oak Park, California. His impressive achievements before college include the NFAA ARTSweek, Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight, and 2006 Presidential Scholars awards. These honors combined with diligent schoolwork facilitated offers of acceptance by MIT, Harvard, and The Juilliard School. Choosing to study music, Mr. Chen earned his Bachelor and Master of Music from Juilliard. He received his Artist Diploma in 2014 at the Yale School of Music as a George W. Miles Fellow.

Mr. Chen resides in Kansas City, Missouri with his wife, Betty, a violinist in the Kansas City Symphony. When not at the piano, Mr. Chen enjoys tinkering with computers, and exploring math, science, and programming. Mr. Chen is a Steinway Artist.

Learn more about Sean Chen here.