Hui Chen

Biography

I graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Music from the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, Australia. I studied with Alexandra Vinokurov (Piano) and David Miller (Accompanying) at the Conservatorium and later continued my studies privately in London with Noretta Conci. A turning point in my career was attending a workshop in Injury-Preventive Keyboard Technique in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA in 2007, where I met Barbara Lister-Sink, an internationally acclaimed performer and global leader in injury-preventive keyboard technique. This was followed by two semesters of study for the Professional Certificate in Injury-Preventive Piano Technique with Lister-Sink. My extended study period was made possible by the Winston Churchill Fellowship Award. The core of piano technique lies in having total control of the whole body and to this end, requires total awareness. I believe that all music students should be equipped with a well-coordinated and sustainable technique, one that takes into consideration biomechanical principles and a knowledge of how the body works best with the instrument. As such, my teaching focus is on developing good coordination at the piano which promotes a sense of physical well-being while playing, enhances suppleness, speed and facility, allows for a broader dynamic range and reduces performance anxiety.

Research Interest

The Alexander Technique – an education program that teaches one to regain control of the body and helps to improve posture and performance. Kinesthetic awareness is the key to a free, healthy technique. The ability to sense and control the state of one’s muscles allows for efficient muscle use. This ability, together with optimal skeletal balance and alignment make up the fundamental components of a well-coordinated technique. Chinese traditional music – I learnt to play the “Gu Zheng”, one of the oldest Chinese plucked string instruments, popular in the Qin dynasty. It resembles a horizontal harp with twenty-one strings. Chinese Traditional Art of Tea – I am learning the art of tea presentation, hopefully to be a Tea Sommelier one day.