Jenny Q. Chai, Piano

Biography

Having recently made her Carnegie Hall debut at Zankel Hall, pianist Jenny Q Chai was praised by the New York Times' Anthony Tommasini for her "resourceful technique and sensitivity" as well as playing that is "admirable for its refinement and directness." Chai is an active pianist specializing in contemporary music, and has premiered, most notably, Life Sketches by Nils Vigeland, Exercise in Deism by John Slover, Intimate Rejection by Ashley Fu-Tsun Wang, and Blue Inscription by Scott Wollschleger. Chai has also premiered Marriage (Mile 58) Section F from The Road by Frederick Rzewski in Ghent, Belgium, where she was given the Logos Award for the best performance of 2008. Recently, she gave the world premiere in Shanghai of Mallet Dance by John Slover. Of her performance at the Keys to the Future Festival, Zachary Woolfe wrote in the New York Times: “Jenny Q Chai opened the concert playing two of Ligeti’s Études with rich tone and rhythmic clarity; especially strong was her Cordes à vide.

Ms. Chai is currently working on her doctoral thesis on Marco Stroppa with Marilyn Nonken at the Manhattan School of Music. She has also studied at the Shanghai Music Conservatory, at Curtis Institute of Music with Seymour Lipkin, and received two degrees from the Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Solomon Mikowsky, Nils Vigeland, and Anthony de Mare. In Germany, she studied with Pierre-Laurent Aimard.

Ms. Chai’s performances have been covered in major media throughout the U.S., China, and Europe, including Time Out New York, Shanghai Culture, and Cologne Daily News, and her performances of contemporary music have been broadcast in Italy, Germany, China, and the U.S. Her talents have been showcased on recordings with Ensemble 20/21 on the Deutschlandfunk label (performing music by Hanns Eisler) and as solo pianist/vocalist on ArpaViva’s New York Love Songs.

For Chai, near-total immersion in the contemporary music world has only enhanced her appreciation of the classical repertoire. “I feel a sense of contentment programming creative concerts," says Chai, "mixing and matching old and new works, so as to highlight what is most special in each piece. After all, nothing comes from nothing, and new music is very much connected to that which came before.” Jenny is also founder of FaceArt Music InterNations (www.Faceart.info) in Shanghai, an educational center, contemporary music presenter, and cultural exchange organization bringing Western contemporary music and the philosophy of American music education to China.  Future engagements for Ms. Chai include appearances in Beijing and Shanghai.