Sijie Chen

Chinese-born British violinist Sijie Chen is enjoying a varied career on modern and period instruments. Susie, the name by which she is generally known, joined the first violin section of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in January 2010, and also works regularly with the Academy of Ancient Music, Manchester Camerata, BBC Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras. During her studies she led the Chetham’s and University of London Symphony Orchestras.

Susie is passionate about chamber music and has collaborated with eminent artists including Levon Chilingirian, Marcia Crayford, Alasdair Tait, Huw Watkins and the Vardanyan and Myrios Quartets. She was invited to perform in the Mendelssohn-on-Mull Festival 2007, and has also performed in the Rye, Two Moors, Norfolk&Norwich and Newbury Spring Festivals. She participated in the International Musicians’ Seminar at Prussia Cove, studying with Ferenc Rados.

During her postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, she won the Paganini Prize and the Norman George Violin Scholarship, and her chamber group won the Granada Prize with Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. As a result of her success in the RNCM concerto competition she performed the Walton Violin Concerto with orchestra in December. Susie was a string finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition 2004, and was subsequently invited to tour the Middle East. She was a finalist in the Croydon Concerto Competition 2009 and a prizewinner in the Schlern International Music Competition 2006.

Susie has been supported throughout her studies in the UK, USA and Germany by awards from the Associated Board, MBF and MMSF, amongst others. Her teachers include Mihaela Martin, Yair Kless, Levon Chilingirian, Zvi Zeitlin, Adrian Butterfield (baroque violin) and Pauline Nobes (baroque and classical violin). She has played in masterclasses to Ivry Gitlis, Gerhard Schulz, Pekka Kuusisto, Ilan Gronich, Mauricio Fuks and Oleh Krysa, and on baroque violin to Andrew Manze, Rachel Podger and Elizabeth Wallfisch.