BIOGRAPHY

To witness Chun-Chieh Yen at the piano is to encounter an artist who transcends mere virtuosity—an alchemist of sound, a storyteller, and an interpreter with flair and imagination, his performances ignite the concert hall. Hailed as one of the most distinctive pianists of his generation, Yen’s artistry bridges continents and cultures, captivating audiences across Europe, America, and Asia with a rare combination of poetic sensitivity and daring innovation. 

From sold-out concerts with the Russian National Orchestra and Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, to spellbinding collaborations with conductors such as Mikhail Pletnev, Henry Mazer, and Jun Märkl, Yen’s career is a tapestry of artistic partnerships at the highest level. Yet it is his restless curiosity and inventive spirit that truly set him apart. Yen’s recital evenings are immersive journeys—he has tackled the towering challenge of performing all 27 Chopin Etudes and Debussy’s Etudes in single, electrifying sittings, redefining the limits of both technique and endurance. 

A champion of new music and cross-genre creativity, Yen gave the Taiwanese premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and made the world-premiere recording of Qigang Chen’s Piano Concerto Er Huang for Naxos, instantly establishing it as a reference interpretation. His adventurous spirit spills beyond the traditional recital format: in a bold partnership with iconic actress and filmmaker Ai-Chia Sylvia Chang, Yen wove together poetry, film, and Liszt’s fevered scores, turning works like Gaspard de la Nuit and Danse Macabre into living theatre. His celebrated “One Day Piano Festival x 3” saw Yen conjure three entirely different recital experiences in a single day, each themed around mentorship, romance, and friendship—a feat of endurance, but above all, of vision. 

Accolades have followed Yen since his youth: laureate of the Prokofiev Competition in St. Petersburg, winner at Hamamatsu Academy Competition, and prize-winner at the International Tchaikovsky Youth Competition, his artistry has been recognised on the world stage. Yet, perhaps most inspiring is Yen’s commitment to nurturing young talent. As Professor at National Taiwan Normal University and founder of the International Maestro Piano Festival & Competition, he has shaped a new generation of pianists whose success at Ettlingen, Aarhus, Epinal, UNISA and Cleveland speaks to his devotion as a mentor. 

Restlessly creative, uncompromisingly original, and unafraid to blur the boundaries between art forms, Chun-Chieh Yen is an artist whose journey continues to surprise and inspire—a true poet of the piano for our time.