中華表演藝術基金會 Chinese Performing Arts Foundation

An Extraordinary Concert 5/22 at Carnegie Zankel Hall by pianist Hung-Kuan Chen An amazing performance by Mr. Hung-Kuan Chen at Carnegie Zankel Hall on 5/22. Program included Bach, Liszt, Chopin and Scriabin. Mr. Chen rewarded two encores to the house-full enthusiastic audience after receiving several standing ovations and shower of bouquets. Distinguished pianists Gary Graffman, Phillip Kawin, among others were there in person. Renowned pianist Ruth Slenczynska, now in her 90's, admired "...a thoughtful artist who expressed music in a careful and personal way. An extraordinary concert. "

Hung-Kuan Chen 陳宏寬, Pianist

“This man plays music with uncommon understanding and the instrument with uncommon imagination.” --Richard Dyer, Boston Globe

Hung-Kuan Chen is one of the great personalities of the music world: enigmatic, brilliant and versatile. He is a pianist of uncompromising individuality and a remarkably inspiring pedagogue. Born in Taipei and raised in Germany, Mr. Chen’s early studies fostered strong roots in Germanic Classicism, which he tempered with the sensibility of an organic Chinese philosophy.

One of the most decorated pianists of his generation, Mr. Chen won top prizes in the Arthur Rubinstein, the Busoni, Geza Anda, and YCA International Piano Competitions along with prizes in the Queen Elisabeth, Montreal, Van Cliburn and a Fisher Career Grant. He has dedicated his pianism and love of music to hundreds of young students worldwide. He is faculty of Artemisia Akademie at Yale and will teach and perform at the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts and Aspen Festival in the summer of 2015.

Prior to joining the Juilliard school in 2014 and continuing his professorship at Yale University, he was Chair of the piano department of Shanghai Conservatory and faculty at New England Conservatory. Mr. Chen has adjudicated international competitions such as Van Cliburn, Busoni, Shanghai International and Honens.
Collaborating with Christoph Eschenbach, Hans Graf, George Cleve, Josef Silverstein, Sui Lan and Andrew Parrett, David Shifrin, Roman Totenberg, Cho-Liang Lin, Shanghai Quartet, and has a piano duo with his wife, Tema Blackstone.

In 1992, Chen suffered an injury to his hand, which caused neurological damage and eventually resulted in focal dystonia. Through meditation and his own unique research, he was able to heal and return to his life as a concert artist. His first post-accident solo recital in March of 1998 received rave reviews and he was described as a transformed artist.

“Back in the 80’s, Apollo and Dionysus, Florestan and Eusebius were in Chen’s pianistic personality and his poetic insight and unbridled power and passion have an added repose: the forces have been brought into a complimentary harmony.”

(2015)