Taichi Chen陳太一, Violinist

Taichi Chen began his violin studies in his native country Taiwan when he was 7 years old.  At age 14 he was sent to Toho Gakuen of Music in Tokyo Japan to continue his music education.  He was offered a full music scholarship to attend Boston University to study with Roman Totenberg in 1976.After three years he decided to study with Shmuel Ashkenasi at Northern Illinois University, where he earned his bachelors and masters degrees.  He joined the Minnesota Orchestra in 1985 as a member of the second violin section.

Through the years he has participated in many chamber music concerts during Sommerfest, performing with pianists such as Alicia de Larrocha, Garrick Ohlsson and Andreas Haeflinger, and most recently with Andrew Litton and orchestra colleagues performing the Frank Piano Quintet in F minor.

Taichi has been a regular volunteer at North Memorial Hospital in the discharge department for many years.  He and his wife Robin also volunteer together, playing violin duets in their cancer treatment center. Together they manage a small farm in Finlayson, Minnesota, from which they donate some of their produce to the PRISM food shelf.

Source from http://www.minnesotaorchestramusicians.org/taichi-chen/