Biography

Born in China, pianist Sa Chen began her professional performing career in her early teens, earning critical acclaim at the Leeds, Chopin, and Van Cliburn competitions.
Ms. Chen has performed with leading orchestras, such as the Israel Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Royal Stockholm Symphony, Moscow Philharmonic, China Philharmonic, and China National Symphony. She made her San Francisco Symphony debut in 2015.

In the 2019–20 season, Ms. Chen performs recitals in France, Italy, UK, US, and China. Highlights of the season include her debut at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, and appearances at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games First Anniversary Festival, and the Singapore International Piano Festival. Ms. Chen has also received invitations to be on the jury for the Leeds International Piano Competition, Ferrucio Busoni International Piano Competition, Sydney International Piano Competition, and the upcoming 18th International Chopin Piano Competition.

Ms. Chen has recorded ten albums for the JVC, IMC, Harmonia Mundi, and Pentatone labels. Classic FM selected her Chopin album on Pentatone as a Best CD of the Month. Her album Memories Lost features contemporary Chinese compositions and was released by BIS Records in 2015. Her latest album features Debussy’s complete Preludes.