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CHRISTINE CHEN - Violin/Piano

Born and raised in Calgary, Christine Chen began her violin studies at the age of three and her piano studies at the age of six. She is an alumnus of the Academy program at Mount Royal University Conservatory and the Calgary Youth Orchestra. As a child, she participated in competitions such as the Canadian Music Competition and has won many awards in the Kiwanis Festival. Both her Bachelor and Master in Music degree were studied at the University of Calgary, she studied under Edmond Agopian and second instrument studied with Lana Henchell. During the pandemic, she took private lessons with the concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, John Lowry.

 

Currently, she is doing the Graduate Performance Diploma in the Boston Conservatory at the Berklee Collage of Music studying under Lynn Chang. Christine enjoys performing not just classical music but also in the Berklee Performance Center Shows, recording for pop, film scores, pop and film score concerts, and original compositions and masterclasses hosted by the film scoring departments. Christine enjoys studying jazz and improvisation with Berklee Professor Jason Anick and also takes vocal lessons with Berklee Professor Tom Baskett.

 

Currently, she is working on orchestral auditions and studies with Ronan Lefkowitz from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and John Lowry, Concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Education: ​

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  • 2021-2023 Graduate Performance Diploma - Boston Conservatory at the Berklee College of Music​​​

    • Winner of the 2021/22 Honors Chamber (Piano Trio)​

    • Solo Recital: April 2022

    • Served as Concertmaster for the Boston Conservatory String Orchestra 

    • Served as Concertmaster for the Film Scoring Orchestra 

    • Served as Concertmaster and soloist for the Conductors orchestra

  • 2017-2019  Masters in Performance - University of Calgary 

    • Graduation Recital: April 2019 

    • Solo Recital: May 2018

    • Served as Concertmaster for the University of Calgary Orchestra 

  • 2013-2017 Bachelors of Music in Performance with Distinction, University of Calgary

    • Senior Recital March 2017​

    • Junior Recital March 2016

    • Served as Concertmaster for the University of Calgary Orchestra 

  • 2019: Producing/Directing/ Screenwriting certification - Film Connection, L.A. USA 

  • 2016: Digital Audio Certification from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology - Calgary, Alberta 

  • 2014: Applied Mandarin Studies at National Taiwan Normal University - Taipei, Taiwan  

 

Performances in School: 

During her studies, she had the opportunity to play for guest artists both at University of Calgary and Mount Royal University such as Gabor Takacs-Nagy, London Haydn Quartet,  St. Lawrence String quartet, the Zodiac trio, Danish String Quartet, Jonathan Crow. She had the opportunity to be coached by pianist Marilyn Engle and violist Dean o Brien.  In Taiwan, she had the opportunity to study with renown Taiwanese violinist and two time Golden Music Award winner Su Tien Da.  She had the chance to take some lessons with renown professors in Manchester UK such as Gina MacMillan and Leland Chan. 

At Boston Conservatory, she is coached by Lydian String quartet Rhonda Rider and Judith Eissenberg. She also attended the Music Festival in Harvard MA in summer of 2022 with her chamber mates. 

In the summers, she served as a translator for the world renown music program Morningside Music Bridge, listening and learning from world renown teachers. 

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In 2022, she, along with her chamber group, attended the Harvard Music Festival on full scholarship. 

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Awards:

Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship

Recipient of the Marilyn Perkins Awards in Music, Art & Drama 

As a Violinist

Christine is an active musician performing around the city in theater plays, popular music concerts, weddings, corporate events. After moving to Boston, she only performs with the Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Contact Christine for more information about live music performances .

Past performances includes:

  • Berklee Singer Showcase, Tribute to Sting and the Police 

  • Violinist for 5th Annual US Senator George Frisbie Hoar Award Gala

  • Berklee Budaya Show, premiered at Georgetown Literary Festival 

  • Performed with Kenny Barron 

  • Berklee Commencement Concert for Lalah Hathaway, James Newton Howard and Chuck Rainey            

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee, String Orchestra with Marian Anderson Quartet, Assistant Concertmaster         

  • Graduate Performance Diploma Solo Recital #1                               

  • Berklee Singer Showcase, The Great American Songbook, Tribute to Elton John  

  • Berklee Motion Picture Orchestra Concert                                

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee Conductors Orchestra, Concertmaster                  

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Honors Chamber Debut Recital                             

  • Berklee Singer Showcase, The Great American Songbook, Taylor Swift                 

  • Till the End of Time, Musical Album Recording                                      

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee Composers Orchestra, Concertmaster                

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Conductors Orchestra, Principle Second            

  • Film Scoring Orchestra, Concertmaster  

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee Musical Theater - Candide                            

  • Student Recording for film scores, pop songs, projects     

  • Boston Conservatory at Berklee String Orchestra, Concertmaster 

  • Dior Christmas Masterclass 

  • Chinese New Year Celebration at Holt Renfew 

  • Michael Buble 2019 Concert at the  Rogers Arena, Edmonton

  • Performed for Aga Khan Ceremony at the University of Calgary in 2018

  • Appeared in the AMA Valentine's Day Commercial. Performed for a wedding proposal

  • Appeared in University of Calgary 50th anniversary promotion video with her chamber group 

  • Richard Clayderman's Concert in Calgary in 2017

  • Chinese New Year at the Cultural Centre 2016

  • Iranian singer Moein 

  • Canadian singer Michael Fitzgerald concert 

  • Astronaut Chris Hadfield

  • Film score recording

  • Carmen Braden's Album Launch Concert 

  • Grand opening of Banff Gondola

  • Grand opening of J&R Studios (film studio in Calgary)

  • Zenkora

  • When East Meets West and other concerts held by Alberta Chinese Zither Association 

  • Oliver (the play) by Painted Fish Theatre ​​

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As a Teacher 

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Affiliations: 

  • Alberta Registered Music Teacher's Association

  • Canadian Federation of Music Teacher's Association

  • Royal Conservatory of Music

  • Gold Medalist Teacher from the Royal Conservatory of Music 

Teaching:

Christine runs her own private studios. She started teaching in 2013. She teaches violin, piano and music theory. Outside her home studio, she has taught in music schools such as Avante- Garde and Long and McQuade. She teaches student of all ages starting from 3. Christine teaches Suzuki method as well as RCM, tradition and popular music. Other method books include ABC and violin essentials. Christine is a teacher of a gold medal recipient from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Her violin student scored the top score in Alberta for her level. Her students have entered exams from preparatory to grade 8 on violin and piano. 

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Hobbies/Fun Facts: 

  • ​Christine's hobbies outside of violin are singing and dancing. She participated in school choir from kindergarten to high school. In Grade 12, Christine participated in the Richmond Honorary Youth Choir in Richmond BC. Some notable performances with the choir include performing for the Japanese Ambassador with a choir from Japan and performing at the Vancouver Christmas Market. She took professional singing lessons for a few years in high school with teachers from both Calgary and Vancouver.   

  • During the 2011 OCAC summer camp in Taiwan, she joined the dance team and had the opportunity to perform for the vice president and other members of parliament of Taiwan. She currently studies private and group dance classes learning hip hop, breaking and locking.

  • In 2018, she was cast as an extra for the movie . 

  • In her spare time, she likes to compose her own songs. Sometimes she shares them on her youtube channel MissC Productions.

  • Sharing music and giving back has always been important to Christine which is why she created the volunteering program Melody Express, 

 

Television:  

  • Shaw TV

    • operating cameras, running graphics, switchboard and directing in workshops

    • Studio shows included Soundscape and Calgary Now,

    • live to on-air shows included Menorah Lighting, Chasing Limits

  • NUTV 

    • Reporter for NUTV News​

    • Participated in sound location workshop with location sound specialist Per Asplund 

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