Christie Chen – Past Concerts

Christie Chen began her musical studies of piano at the age of 4, and cello at the age of 9. After graduating as the valedictorian of her class with a double major in cello and piano from the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College studying with Marion Feldman and Elena Billy, she continued her music education in cello and received her bachelor and master degree of music from ​The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Zara Nelsova “The Queen of the Cello”, legendary cellist Harvey Shapiro, and Joel Krosnick, the chair of the cello department at The Juilliard School. She was a doctoral candidate at the State University of New York, SUNY, studying with soloist Colin Carr. Christie has studied in master classes with Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Starker, and Anner Bylsma.

Cellist Christie Chen has appeared as soloist with renowned orchestras including the Manhattan Philharmonic of New York, Union Symphony and Summit Symphony of New Jersey. Christie has appeared in such venues as Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. She was featured in the The McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase, which was broadcast nationwide on WQXR, the Radio station of the New York Times.

An active chamber musician, Christie has been invited to the prestigious Ravinia, Yellow Barn, Kneisel Hall music festivals, and guest principal cellist for the String Orchestra of New York. She has collaborated with the members of the Emerson String Quartet performing the Schubert’s Cello Quintet,as well as the Cleveland, Takacs and Avalon String Quartets, members of the New York Philharmonic, violinist Donald Weilerstein, pianist Leon Fleisher,and cellist David Finkel among others.

As an active musician and teacher in the Seattle area, Christie has been faculty at the Seattle Conservatory of Music, Seattle University, the WIAA/WMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest adjudicator, principal cellist for the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, has collaborated in chamber music concerts with the members of the Seattle Symphony, and has appeared in such venues as Benaroya Hall.