Spring Break
Dr. Chen Yi: From oppression to expression
Professor honored for artistic accomplishments
Jonathan Pearson
Issue date: 10/3/05 Section: Culture
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Chen admits her family helped inspire her love for composing music.
"My parents really helped influence my dreams with their strong love for classical music," she said. "They had a huge collection of LP records and scores of classical repertoire."
Since then, Chen has been the recipient of several awards and fellowships, including the prestigious Ives Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the ASCAP Concert Music Award and the Guggenheim Fellowship. She earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts at Columbia University in New York City.
Chen accepted an endowed professorship from UMKC with tenure when she finished teaching at the Peabody Conservatory in 1998.
As a musician, Chen impresses students and faculty at the Conservatory with her unique sound.
"[Her music] is extremely dynamic and combines traditional Chinese elements with Western elements," said Dr. James Mobberley, Curators' Professor of Music at the Conservatory of Music. "A lot of her melodies emphasize ornamentation; they are very active!"
Mobberley also said Chen is a wonderful colleague and professor who is patient with her students. He believes the Conservatory is fortunate to have the world-famous musician helping scholars achieve their dreams.
"She is perhaps one of the most energetic, kind-hearted, gregarious people in the universe," said "As a musician, she is definitely a consummate violinist and can sing anything at sight. She can also immediately understand a complicated score just by looking at it and she is an incredible asset here at UMKC."
jpearson@unews.com
"My parents really helped influence my dreams with their strong love for classical music," she said. "They had a huge collection of LP records and scores of classical repertoire."
Since then, Chen has been the recipient of several awards and fellowships, including the prestigious Ives Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the ASCAP Concert Music Award and the Guggenheim Fellowship. She earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts at Columbia University in New York City.
Chen accepted an endowed professorship from UMKC with tenure when she finished teaching at the Peabody Conservatory in 1998.
As a musician, Chen impresses students and faculty at the Conservatory with her unique sound.
"[Her music] is extremely dynamic and combines traditional Chinese elements with Western elements," said Dr. James Mobberley, Curators' Professor of Music at the Conservatory of Music. "A lot of her melodies emphasize ornamentation; they are very active!"
Mobberley also said Chen is a wonderful colleague and professor who is patient with her students. He believes the Conservatory is fortunate to have the world-famous musician helping scholars achieve their dreams.
"She is perhaps one of the most energetic, kind-hearted, gregarious people in the universe," said "As a musician, she is definitely a consummate violinist and can sing anything at sight. She can also immediately understand a complicated score just by looking at it and she is an incredible asset here at UMKC."
jpearson@unews.com
