Chao Chen

International clarinetist Chao Chen graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music (UK) as the first solo bass clarinet student in the UK’s history and his studies at the RNCM have been most generously supported by a Thomas W. Swift Award. Chao won the first Anhui Provincial Wind Competition, Yamaha Wind Competition China, Monterrey International Bass Clarinet Competition, First Asian Bass Clarinet Competition and Web Clarinetonline Contest of Accademia Italiana del Clarinetto, etc.

Chao Chen got his Artist's Diploma from the Central Conservatory of Music (China).He was also awarded a Bachelor degree in International finance from Nanjing University of Aeromautics and Astronautics. Chao’s main clarinet teachers are Sarah Watts, Nicholas Cox, Matthew Hunt, Chris Swann, Rupert Wachter, Lei Fan and Zhaoxin Che.

Chao has held the position of Principal Clarinet with the Jiangsu Symphony Orchestra when he was 21 years old and he was Assistant Principal Clarinet with the Dunshan Wind Orchestra. He also worked with many professional orchestras worldwide as a guest clarinetist, including the Martha Graham Ballet Orchestra, the EOS Orchestra, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, Yellow River Symphony Orchestra, China National Opera and the Dance Drama Theater Orchestra. As a successful chamber musician, Chao Chen and some good friends formed China’s first professional clarinet quartet Fantasy in 2016 and gave a concert tour in Asia in 2017. Invited by China Central Television, he and his close friend Professor Tao Wang performed a clarinet duo live on national TV.

In addition, Chao Chen is often invited to give master classes, recitals and as jury by many conservatories, music festivals or international competitions, including Conservatorio Cuneo (IT), Conservatorio A.Vivaldi Alessandria (IT), Ocean University of China (CN), The Central Conservatory of Music (CN), The Zhejiang Comservatory of Music (CN), Qingdao International Clarinet Festival (CN), Shijiazhang International Music Summer Camp (CN), Lanzhou International Clarinet and Saxophone Festival (CN), Lviv International Competition (UA), Single Reed Festival (UK), etc.

Chao Chen is currently finishing his doctorate in clarinet performance in the UK.