Included in the 2019 edition of CBC Music’s “30 Under 30” list of Canadian classical musicians, pianist Albert Chen has achieved success in provincial, national, and international competitions. In 2014, he received the Willard Schultz prize at the CFMTA National Piano Competition in Halifax. From 2012 to 2016, Albert took part in the Morningside Music Bridge program, where he studied and performed in masterclasses for Andre Laplante, Kum Sing Lee, John Perry, and Krzysztof Jablonsky. His recordings have been included in two of Morningside Music Bridge’s Highlight CD’s, showcasing the top performances in the program each year. In the summer of 2016, Albert performed in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing with his chamber group as part of the Highlights Concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Morningside Music Bridge. Furthermore, he was a 1st place winner in the 2015 American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition and performed in Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall in New York City.
During his university studies, Albert went on tour across Manitoba and Saskatchewan as the winner of the biennial CFMTA Western Young Artist Series Competition. He also received 1st prize at the 2018 Lawrence Genser Scholarship Competition for the highest level of solo performance at the University of Manitoba. Another highlight of the season was his concerto debut with the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra where he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 5 ""Emperor"" as a featured soloist. Albert was the winner of the Aikins Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding performer in the Winnipeg Music Festival and has twice been awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Trophy in 2014 and 2019. He was also grateful to receive the WMC Scholarship in the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg Scholarship Competition and was featured in the winners’ recital as part of their 2019-2020 concert season. In the summer of 2019, he appeared as a soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, performing the 3rd movement of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto no. 1. Albert graduated from his Bachelor of Music- Piano Performance degree in 2020 at the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music under the tutelage of Dr. David Moroz, where he was recognized as a President’s Scholar for high academic standing, placed on the Dean’s Honour List for outstanding academic and musical achievements, and awarded the University Gold Medal for the highest standing overall in the faculty.
