Taiwanese-American violist Che-Yen (Brian) Chen has established himself as a distinguished performer, educator, and arts leader whose work spans solo, chamber, and orchestral stages as well as institutional leadership. Praised for his ability to uncover not just subtle emotion, but the humanity within the music, he is a member of the world-renowned Ehnes Quartet, Professor of Viola Performance and Director of String Chamber Music at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, and a former Chief Executive Officer of the Taipei Music Academy and Festival who continues to serve the organization as Senior Advisor. In 2026, Chen joined Camerata Pacifica, named the 2026 Ensemble of the Year by Chamber Music America, as the ensemble’s Principal Viola.
In partnership with UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music through the Susan G. Covel and Mitchell D. Covel, M.D., Endowed Chair, Chen and the Ehnes Quartet established the ensemble as Visiting Quartet in Residence for 2026–28. During this residency, the Ehnes Quartet is presenting a complete Beethoven String Quartet Cycle across six concerts, with additional performances planned to mark the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death in 2027. Residency activities include working closely with students, collaborating with HASoM faculty, and engaging the broader UCLA community.
In 2023, Chen was named Chief Executive Officer of the Taipei Music Academy and Festival (TMAF). During a period of significant organizational crisis and transition, he appointed a strong leadership team including an artistic director, chief operating officer, and general manager, guided the festival from crisis to a record-high number of student applications, and oversaw a sold-out finale concert at Taiwan’s National Concert Hall in 2025. Having successfully positioned TMAF for continued growth, he stepped down as CEO and remains committed to bringing Taiwan’s cultural richness to the world through music and education in his advisory role.
As a founding and former member of the Formosa Quartet, the first Asian and second American quartet to win the London International String Quartet Competition (now the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition), Chen won First Prize and the Amadeus Prize in 2006 and has released recordings on EMI, Delos, New World, and Bridge Records. Through the Formosa Quartet, he co-founded the Formosa Chamber Music Festival in Taiwan, realizing his vision of providing world-class music training to young Taiwanese musicians while fostering global exchanges of talent and artistic collaboration. He earlier served as principal violist of the San Diego Symphony and Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra for eight years and has appeared as guest principal with orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and Toronto Symphony. A former member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two and a participant of the Marlboro Music Festival, he regularly performs and teaches at festivals across North America and Asia.
Chen first gained international recognition by winning First Prize at the 2003 Primrose International Viola Competition and, later the same year, the “President’s Prize” at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition. He has previously served on the faculties of the USC Thornton School of Music, UC San Diego, and McGill University.
A native of Taipei, Chen began studying the viola with Ben Lin and became a four-time winner of the National Viola Competition in Taiwan. At age fourteen, he moved to the United States to attend The Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied under Michael Tree and Joseph de Pasquale, later continuing his education at The Juilliard School under Paul Neubauer and The Juilliard Quartet. Chen performs on a 2022 viola crafted by master luthier Samuel Zygmuntowicz.