08/08/2026
CHELSEA WANG, 2011 HHIPC ALUM, AND RAY CHEN IN ROCKPORT CONCERT
On Sunday, August 9, at 5:00 p.m., Ray Chen and Chelsea Wang will perform at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport MA. For tickets: https://tickets.rockportmusic.org/10504/10505?z=0
Violinist Ray Chen redefines the classical artist for the 21st century, combining extraordinary musicianship with global digital reach. A major international soloist and prizewinner, Chen connects millions worldwide through performances marked by virtuosity, warmth, and a deep commitment to engaging new audiences.
PROGRAM
MOZART: Violin Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 454
GRIEG: Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45
Intermission
J.S. BACH: Preludio – Loure – Gavotte en Rondeau from Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006
SARASATE: Playera, Op. 23 No. 1
SARASATE: Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25
Ray Chen first gained international recognition as First Prize winner of the Yehudi Menuhin Competition (2008) and the Queen Elizabeth Competition (2009). Since then, he has built a major international career spanning Europe, Asia, the United States, and his native Australia. Signed to Decca Classics in 2017, he recorded his debut album with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, following three critically acclaimed releases on SONY, including Virtuoso, which received an ECHO Klassik Award. He has been profiled as “one to watch” by The Strad and Gramophone, named to Forbes’ list of 30 most influential Asians under 30, and has appeared in the television series Mozart in the Jungle. His work beyond music includes a multi-year partnership with Giorgio Armani and performances at major international events such as France’s Bastille Day celebrations, the Nobel Prize Concert, and the BBC Proms.
As a soloist, Chen has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Munich Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Berlin Radio Symphony. He collaborates regularly with prominent conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Vladimir Jurowski, Manfred Honeck, Daniele Gatti, and Kirill Petrenko.
Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, Chen entered the Curtis Institute of Music at age 15, studying with Aaron Rosand. In 2025, he began an in-depth exploration of rare violins and currently performs on a 1727 Stradivarius.
Praised by The New York Times as an “excellent young pianist,” Chelsea Wang has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician across North America, Europe, and Asia, performing at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner.
A prizewinner in numerous international competitions, she made her orchestral debut at age six and has since performed with orchestras including the Fort Worth Symphony and Des Moines Symphony.
An active chamber musician, Wang has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and at festivals such as Music@Menlo, Ravinia, and Music Academy of the West. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she studied with Meng-Chieh Liu and Ignat Solzhenitsyn and received the Sergei Rachmaninoff Award. She also holds degrees from Peabody Conservatory and is currently pursuing a doctorate at Northwestern University.
