Taiwan-born conductor to lead Chicago Sinfonietta

Taiwan Today
08/09/2010
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Chen Mei-ann, a native of Taiwan, was named music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta Aug. 4, just one month after she was appointed music director of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for the 2010-2011 season.

“I am thrilled to be given this opportunity,” said Chen: “Though the sinfonietta is not one of the leading orchestras in North America, it has great influence and a large following in Chicago, an important city in terms of classical music in the U.S.”

The Chicago Sinfonietta was founded in 1987 by Paul Freeman under the mission of “Musical Excellence through Diversity.” Members of the orchestra come mainly from minority groups such as Hispanics, Africans and Native Americans.

“The minority groups defined by the orchestra did not include East Asians,” said Chen, who noted that the “sinfonietta was not interested in me till one of the concerts I gave last October, where I performed the Butterfly Lovers’ violin concerto.”

Chen said she did not expect to be selected as the new director because two other candidates appeared to have a better chance of winning the position—Mexican national Alondra de la Parra, who has released CDs with SONY, and African American John McLaughlin Williams, a Grammy Award winner.

The sinfonietta represents the spirit of the “big melting pot” in the U.S. Freeman is one of a handful of African American conductors who has had the opportunity of conducting various leading orchestras throughout the world.

Chen, the first music director to succeed Freeman, will take up her new post in the fall of 2011. (KML-HZW)