Eric Chen

Eric Chen is a rising Senior at Marquette High School in St. Louis, Missouri. Chen began learning violin at the age of six with Joseph Kaminsky and has been a student of Pavel Ilyashov since the age of eleven.  

Chen made his solo debut at age 12, playing Henryk Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No.2 with the Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra. He competed in the national finals of the MTNA Junior Strings competition, after winning the Missouri and West Central Region divisions. He is a YoungArts winner in the Classical Music category, three-time winner of MTNA Junior String State Competition 2021-2023, winner of MTNA Senior String State Competition in 2025, the Gold Medal winner of SLAMTA Young Artist competition in 2024 and 2025, winner of the 2023 Artist Presentation Society competition, 1st place winner of the 2023 Town and Country Symphony Orchestra Rising Talents Young Artists Concerto Competition. He has also won third and second prize in the 11th and 12th Editions of the ENKOR International Music Competition, Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra “Stars of Tomorrow” concerto competition, St. Louis Civic Orchestra Florence Frager Young Artist Competition, and the Alton Symphony Orchestra Marie Stillwell Young Artists Competition. 

Chen is in his 3rd season with the St Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and has been chosen as the co-principal this season. He has also played chamber music in the CMS Preparatory Program and the Rader Young Artist Program, making the national finals last year of the St. Paul String Quartet Competition with his Raemonia Quartet. In past summers he has studied at various music festivals, including Ascent International Chamber Music Festival, Vivace International Music Festival, Bowdoin Music Festival, and Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, and the Summer Violin Institute at Northwestern.  

This year, Chen serves as the regional director of the Back to Bach Project, directing the St. Louis region. Chen has hosted several events in local public schools as well as in video format to contribute to the nationwide program. Chen is also an active member of the Very Asian Foundation, promoting Asian Arts and Literature in the local community. Outside the concert hall, Chen loves playing tennis and spending time with his little brother and friends.