Taiwanese American conductor Mei-Ann Chen officially takes on the post of principal conductor of recreation - Grosses Orchester Graz at Styriarte beginning this fall, making her the first female Asian conductor to serve as chief conductor of the ensemble. She is also one of the first female Asian conductors to hold such a position with an Austrian orchestra.

Announced today by Mathis Huber , General Manager of the acclaimed 19 year-old ensemble, the appointment comes after only two seasons of Ms. Chen's original three-year term as the orchestra’s first-ever principal guest conductor.

"Since Mei-Ann Chen's first collaboration with recreation in May 2011, a great and still growing affinity has been felt between the musicians of the orchestra, Haus Styriarte, and her, resulting in all our collaborations turning into very special moments of artistic and human encounter," said Mr. Huber. "Principal guest conductor of the orchestra recreation since 2019, beginning this 2021-2022 season, she will now serve as recreation's principal conductor for five years, fulfilling a long-cherished wish of the orchestra. In addition to curating three major orchestral projects in Graz each season, she will open up fields of art for Styriarte and, in doing so, bring her great passion for working with youth orchestras and championing female composers to Graz together with recreation."