Van Cliburn Crystal Award winner to give recital at Bridgewater College

The Crystal Award winner of the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Sean Chen, will present a recital on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Carter Center for Worship and Music at Bridgewater College.

Born in Florida, Chen grew up in Oak Park, Calif. He is the first American to make the finals of the Van Cliburn competition since 1997.

Chen received the 2013 Christel DeHaan Classical Fellow of the American Pianists Association. He received Second Prize at the 2011 Seoul International Music Competition and Third Prize at the 2013 Morocco Philharmony International Piano Competition. He also gave the Best Performance of an American Work at the 2009 Cleveland International Piano Competition and was a semifinalist at the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition.

Chen earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School, where he won the 2010 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition, the 2010 Munz Scholarship and First Prize at the 2008 Juilliard Concerto Competition.

He resides in New Haven, Conn., where he is pursuing his artist diploma at the Yale School of Music under Hung-Kuan Chen.

Every four years since 1962, the Van Cliburn Competition brings together approximately 30 musicians from around the world to compete for a wide variety of prizes, including cash awards and concert engagements. The 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was held in Fort Worth, Texas.

The competition is a rigorous and comprehensive examination of every facet of each contestant’s musicianship and technical proficiency. All competitors are heard in recital; 12 semifinalists play new works and perform chamber music; and six finalists perform two concerti with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of a major international conductor. The distinguished jury selects the medalists.

The concert is free and open to the public.

Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Founded in 1880, it was the state’s first private, coeducational college. Today, Bridgewater College is home to approximately 1,850 undergraduate students.