Broward Symphony Orchestra Masterworks III

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Visual & Performing Arts at Broward College

Broward Symphony Orchestra Masterworks III

The Broward Symphony welcomes international violinist Huifang Chen to perform Tchaikovsky's iconic Violin Concerto.

Program

• Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major

o Huifang Chen, violin

• Shostakovich: Festive Overture

• Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture

Huifang Chen Bio

A dynamic artist from Taiwan and long-time U.S. resident, Huifang Chen enjoys a diverse career as a violinist, educator, and conductor. She has been the Music Director of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony since 2008 and the Concertmaster of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra since 2020. In 2022, she was appointed Associate Conductor of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra. Since then, she has conducted numerous children’s concerts throughout South Florida, including Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Marathon, and Key West, plus multiple pops concerts at John Knox Village, Weston, and Bal Harbour Shops.

Ms. Chen was a member of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994 until its disbandment in 2003. She also has served as concertmaster for many orchestras including Ars Flores Orchestra, Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Orchestra Miami, and Boca Symphonia. In 2023, Ms. Chen was selected as the concertmaster for Andrea Bocelli’s orchestra.

As a violin soloist, Ms. Chen has appeared with orchestras around the world, including the Taipei Symphony Orchestra and New Taoyuan Philharmonic in her native country. She has soloed with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic and with the Rochester Symphony, Macomb Symphony, Oakland-Pontiac Symphony, and Warren Symphony in Michigan. Locally, she has soloed with the Alhambra Orchestra, Florida Youth Orchestra, Frost Symphony Orchestra at the University of Miami, Greater Miami Youth Symphony, Miami Bach Society, and Renaissance Chamber Orchestra among others, and most recently in 2024, with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra performing Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy. She has also appeared multiple times as a soloist with the Dreyfoos Philharmonic Orchestra in Palm Beach performing Brahms, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos. Chen was featured as the soloist in the first virtual concert with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra during the pandemic in 2020 playing Mozart’s Turkish Violin Concerto. In addition, she has been an active chamber musician. Since 2021, she has been the key player for South Florida Symphony’s “Summer with the Symphony” chamber concert series.

Ms. Chen graduated from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music where her mentor was violin legend Jascha Brodsky (1907-1997). She was the winner of the 1999 Young Concert Artist award from the National Concert Hall of Taipei, Taiwan and also won the 2003 Concerto Competition at the University of Miami where she received a master’s degree in 2005.

As a recording artist, Huifang has appeared on dozens of award-winning CDs for artists such as the Bee Gees, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Jon Secada, Shakira, and Barbra Streisand. In 2012, she recorded Thomas Sleeper’s Violin Concerto with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic, released in 2014 on the Albany Label. Additionally, she has performed the National Anthem on numerous occasions at Miami Dolphins football games. Most recently, she was featured as a soloist in John Gottsch’s Princess Yurievskaya, featuring South Florida Symphony Orchestra, and released in 2021 on the Naxos Label.

As a committed violin pedagogue, many of Ms. Chen’s students are frequent winners at both local and international competitions. Many are now attending top music schools such as The Curtis Institute of Music and Juilliard School, and many others are now members of professional orchestras. Ms. Chen teaches violin at the New World School of the Arts in Miami and at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. During the summers, she performs and teaches at the Killington Music Festival in Vermont. In Summer 2025, she will be guest conducting at the Sewanee Music Festival in Tennessee.

ABOUT BROWARD COLLEGE

Serving approximately 56,000 students annually, Broward College provides residents with certificate programs, two-year university-transfer degrees, two-year career degrees, and baccalaureate degrees in selected programs. The mission of the College is to provide high-quality educational programs and services that are affordable and accessible to a diverse community of learners. For more information, visit www.broward.edu.

ABOUT THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT

The Visual & Performing Arts (VPA) Department at Broward College has been presenting works of exceptional artistic quality to the viewing public since 1960. Productions in dance, theatre, and music, along with visual art exhibitions have thrilled and educated thousands of satisfied patrons. Visit the VPA website for information about our faculty, classes, programs of study, and our performance and exhibition calendar.