"The orchestra was conducted by the Taiwanese-American conductor Mei-Ann Chen and much of the specialness of the performance was also down to her and the JPO players. From the first notes to the last, the soloist, conductor and orchestra were clearly listening to each other closely and forged a superb musical integration.

Her bright presence brought Schumann’s Fourth Symphony as vividly to life as the concerto had been."

Chen will conduct opening night on October 11 and a concert in March.

Learn more at Springfield Symphony.

Taiwanese American conductor and New England Conservatory alumna and trustee Mei-Ann Chen was named today by New England Conservatory (NEC) as the recipient of the Marylou Speaker Churchill Award. The award acknowledges a teacher and orchestral figure who “reflects Churchill’s qualities as a human being, educator, and musician.” Churchill, who served as a NEC College and Preparatory program faculty member for 28 years and as Boston Symphony Orchestra's principal second violinist for 23 years, was one of Chen’s first teachers in the United States.

Born in Taiwan, Maestra Chen came to the United States to study violin at Walnut Hill High School for the Arts.. Chen received a violin performance undergraduate degree from New England Conservatory and then became the first student in New England Conservatory’s history to be awarded double master’s degrees simultaneously in both violin and conducting.

Chen will be in Boston on Saturday, March 22, to receive the award. During her visit, she will lead a rehearsal with the Preparatory String Orchestra and Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and will also participate in a conversation moderated by Tonya Robles, NEC's Vice President of Expanded Education.

 Click title above for News section  link to NEC's announcement.