Chen Sa

On June 5, 2005, Chen Sa was awarded third prize and became the first recipient of the Crystal Award at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. In addition to a cash prize, the award included three years of U.S. concert engagements, and a compact disc recording on the harmonia mundi usa label. Born into a musical family in Henan, China, Chen Sa shares with Lang Lang and Yundi Li the distinction of being named one of the top three Chinese virtuoso pianists today by the legendary artist and teacher Fou Ts’Ong: “I will be happy if they do better than me.

On June 5, 2005, Chen Sa was awarded third prize and became the first recipient of the Crystal Award at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. In addition to a cash prize, the award included three years of U.S. concert engagements, and a compact disc recording on the harmonia mundi usa label. Born into a musical family in Henan, China, Chen Sa shares with Lang Lang and Yundi Li the distinction of being named one of the top three Chinese virtuoso pianists today by the legendary artist and teacher Fou Ts’Ong: “I will be happy if they do better than me.”
When she was still a teenager, Ms. Chen was named first-prize winner of the 1994 China International Piano Competition. Winning fourth prize in the Leeds International Piano Competition 1996 as the youngest contestant in the competition marked the beginning of her international career. Also a top prizewinner of the 2000 Chopin Competition, Ms. Chen has fast become known to audiences throughout Europe and Asia over the last decade. She has collaborated with the Berne, Birmingham, Shanghai, and Latvian Symphony Orchestras, as well as with the China, Israel, Strasbourg, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras. In recital, she has appeared in prestigious venues in major cultural capitals worldwide, including Basel, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Milan, Minneapolis, Sydney, and Vancouver. A frequent guest artist in Japan, Ms. Chen was among those artists featured in the prestigious 2002 Tokyo series, “The 100 Great Pianos of the Twentieth Century.” She has been invited to perform with Gidon Kremer and Nicolaj Znaider at the Kronberg and Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festivals and has also participated at the Duszniki (Poland) Chopin Festival, Le Musiques festival in France, and the Beijing Music Festival and Gulangyu Piano Festivals in China. During the 2005-2006 concert season, Chen Sa will tour the United States on several occasions, including appearances with the Pacific, Springfield (MO), Tupelo, and Yakima Symphony Orchestras, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra of Santo Domingo. Recital engagements take her to Burlington, Flint, New Orleans, San Antonio and Steamboat Springs. Upcoming international engagements include concerts with Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, recitals in Hamburg and Milan, and a tour of Japan. In her native country, Ms. Chen will again appear at the Beijing International Music Festival tour with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. Her debut disc, Chopin Impression, was released in 2003 under the JVC label. Her prize-winning performances of Ravel’s “Gaspard de la Nuit” and Liszt’s Spanish Rhapsody at the 2005 Cliburn Competition will be among the works included on the harmonia mundi disc to be released in early fall 2005. She will also appear in In the Heart of Music, the film documentary about the 2005 Cliburn Competition, which will be aired on PBS stations across the United States beginning October 4, 2005.

Having begun her musical studies at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and the Shenzhen School of Arts, Chen Sa was offered a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London following her success at the Leeds Competition in 1996. Since 2001, she has been studying with Arie Vardi at the Hochschule fur Musik und Theater in Hannover.

Images

Additional Resources

Millennium Stage Home Page

Watch Past Performances

10/24/05: Chen Sa

IN THE TERRACE THEATER
Winner of the prestigious Crystal Award at the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, prodigy Chen Sa astounds with her virtuosic technique and graceful musicality. The legendary artist and teacher Fou Ts’ong named her as one of China’s top three pianists, on a list with Lang Lang and Li Yundi.

Chen Sa

Comment, rate, and more...

Performances

Search by Date

Annual Events

Search by Category

Visit these areas of our website:

Tickets

Buy a Ticket

Subscribe

Customer Help

Box Office

Contribute

Give Now

Support Us

Get Involved

Visit

The Kennedy Center

Area Information

The Venues

Area Map

Explore the Arts

Videos

Live Broadcasts

Interactives

Artists

Blogs

Education

Performances & Events

Arts & Schools

Career Development

VSA and Accessibility

Arts Management

About

A Living Memorial

Our People

Chen Sa

Images

Additional Resources

Watch Past Performances

Comments