A native of Tennessee, pianist (as well as violinist and violist) Melvin Chen has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at major venues throughout the USA, Canada, and Asia. His performances have been featured on radio and television stations around the globe, including KBS television and radio in Korea, NHK television in Japan, and NPR in the USA. Chen’s notable recordings include Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations on the Bridge label, praised as “a classic” by the American Record Guide; Joan Tower’s piano music on the Naxos label; recordings of the Shostakovich piano sonatas; and Gordon’s Orpheus and Euridice. An enthusiastic chamber musician, Chen has collaborated with such artists as Ida Kavafian, David Shifrin, Pamela Frank (ncmf ’85), and with the Shanghai, Tokyo, and Miró (NCMF ’96,’98) quartets. He has appeared at numerous festivals including the Bard Music Festival and Music from Angel Fire among others. 

Chen holds a doctorate in chemistry from Harvard University and a double master’s degree from The Juilliard School in piano and violin. Previously, he attended Yale University where he studied with Boris Berman and received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and physics.  Chen was on the piano faculty and served as associate director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.  In 2012, he rejoined the faculty of the Yale School of Music as Professor in the Practice of Piano (also serving as Deputy Dean until 2024).  In September of 2016, Chen began as Director of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.