Despite his youthful age, violinist Chen Xi is frequently lauded for his technical excellence, gorgeous tone, musical imagination, passion and emotional maturity. Chen Xi has become one of the most promising and respected young artists of his generation in China.

In June, 2002, 17 year-old Chen participated the 12^th International Tchaikovsky Violin Competition, one of the most prestigious music competitions in the world. Even after an unfortunate incident with his hands before the semi-finals, he continued to perform with passion and faultless technical precision. He won the Second-prize (no First-prize was awarded), making him the youngest top prizewinner in the history of the Tchaikovesky International Violin Competition.

Born October 1984 in China, Chen Xi’s gift for music manifested itself at an early age. He held his debut recital at age twelve and began performing with top orchestras in China the following year. In 1995, he began his studies at the Central Conservatory of Music, China’s leading music academy. In 2002, Chen Xi enrolled in the Curtis Institute of Music, studying under Mr. Joseph Silverstein, a well-known violinist, pedagogue and conductor. He graduated in 2007.

His international exposure continued in a series of four interviews courtesy of the NHK Broadcasting Corporation in Japan. Over the years, he has be invited to play at more than three hundred performances in China, Japan, Korea, Canada, Germany, Russia and USA including important national and international events.

Chen Xi is currently playing a 1708 “Ruby” Stradivarius violin, which is on loan to him from the Stradivarius Society, Chicago. Mr. Fushi, the president of the Society, praised him as “not only a very brilliant and talented musician, but also a one of the best people  I have ever known.”

BIOGRAPHY

Despite his youthful age, violinist Chen Xi is frequently lauded for his technical excellence, gorgeous tone, musical imagination, passion and emotional maturity. Chen Xi has become one of the most promising and respected young artists of his generation in China.  Already his outstanding talent and brilliant interpretations  have made him a beloved figure in the eyes of the public the Chinese press which has  frequently referred to him as “a morning light from the East.”

In June, 2002, seventeen year-old Chen Xi was selected by China as their representative, to compete at one of the world’s most prestigious music competitions, the 12^th International Tchaikovsky Violin Competition. Even after an unfortunate incident before the semi-finals in which a Russian soccer fan injured his left arm, he continued to perform with passion and faultless technical precision. He received accolades from the audiences and judges alike, and was awarded the Silver Prize (there was no Gold Prize awarded that year) out of a field of forty-seven international competitors, making him the youngest top prizewinner in the history of the Tchaikovesky International Violin Competition. Members of the audience referred to him as a “giant of the East” and commended the young artist for his emotional maturity and the impact that his interpretations of the Tchaikovsky and Sibelius Concertos had upon them. At the Gala concert, Chen Xi performed Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto to great critical appraise and was called back for four curtain calls by a difficut to please Russian audience.

Born October 1984 in Shenyang, China, Chen Xi’s astonishing gift for music manifested itself at an early age. He was already listening attentively to and identifying the music of Mozart and Beethoven at age two. At eight years of age, he made his debut performance at the Shenyang Conservatory. In September, 1995, he entered China’s leading music academy, the Central Conservatory of Music. After winning the 12^th Tchaikovsky competition in 2002, Chen Xi enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music, studying under Mr. Joseph Silverstein, a well know violinist, pedagogue and conductor. He graduated in 2007. His other teachers included  Prof. Wang Guan, Prof. Zhao, Wei, Prof. Sui, Ke Qiang and Prof. Lin, Yaoji.

As a talented violinist and child protégé, Chen Xi has won many competitions since his young age, including: the first prize in both the “Small Genius Cup” Competition and “Broadcasting Cup” Youth competition, 1st prize in the children’s category at the Third Violin Competition at the Central Conservatory of Music in 1997 and was the winner of Sixth National Youth Violin Competition.  In 1998, He attended the Eighth Wieniawski International Violin Competition in Poland in 2000 and was the winner in the youth category. In March 2001, Chen won 1st place in Ninth National Youth Violin Competition. In July and September of the same year, he won 1st place in the Concerto Competition at Mount Royal College in Canada and 1st place in the International Youth Violin Competition.  

Chen Xi held his first solo concert in Beijing when he was twelve, making him the youngest student at the Central Conservatory of Music to do so. From the age of thirteen, he began to perform with many leading orchestras in China, including the China Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra, China Central Opera Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta Orchestra, China Youth Symphony Orchestra.  

 His international exposure continued in a series of four interviews courtesy of the NHK Broadcasting Corporation in Japan, A synopsis of these four interviews was assembled and aired in Japan. His other musical activity includes fundraising concert for the Hope Project Organization;  a solo taping for CCTV; New Year Celebration Festival; Hong Kong Day and Hong Kong Mid–Autumn Festival; Celebration of Macau’s receivership; touring Taiwan with pianist Lang Lang and Chinese Youth Symphony Orchestra; and many others. In 2001, Chen Xi was invited to perform the Ravel’s Tzigane with the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Clausse Weise.

Over the years, he has participated more than one hundred and fifty performances to his credit, which includes solo concerts, appearances with different orchestras and other activities organized by Central Government.

While Chen Xi studied in United States, he never stop performing. In 2005, he was invited to participate the “North American Chinese celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II” in Los Angles. In 2006 he performed in Los Angles Disney Music Hall for “North American Chinese, Chinese New Year celebration concert.” He also played with South bend Symphony Orchestra, Bangor Symphony Orchestra and Salem Chamber Orchestra.  In May 2007, Mr. Chen was chosen as the representative of the People’s Republic China Government and Chinese People to perform at the welcome concert for the newly elected United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Chen Xi is currently playing a 1708 “Ruby” Stradivarius violin, which is on loan to him by the Stradivarius Society, Chicago.  In 2005, The “Phoenix TV” and Stradivarius Society held an honorary award ceremony in “Forbidden City” where Mr. Fushi, the president of the Society, handed him this early 18^th century, multimillion-dollar instrument. Mr. Fushi praised him at the ceremony as “not only a very brilliant and talented musician, but also a one of the best people I have ever known”.