CHEN Sa Pianist

Chinese pianist CHEN Sa has established herself as one of the most charismatic pianists of her generation. She has started with earning critical acclaims at Leeds, Chopin and Van Cliburn since her early teens then began her professional performing career worldwide with her evocative playing.

Sa was invited to perform with many prestigious orchestras, to name a few, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra dell’ Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Royal Stockholm Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic and so on. The enthusiasm of chamber music has brought her to appear in some historical music festivals such as Lockenhaus Festival, Salzburg Festival, Dusznicki Festival, Ruhr Piano Festival, and St. Petersburg Piano Festival.

Highlights of CHEN Sa’s recent seasons included the debut in Marinskii Theatre in St. Petersburg, Champs Elysees Theatre in Paris, the 26th Singapore International Piano Festival in Victoria Concert Hall, and Pyeong-Chang Winter Olympic Game 1st Anniversary Gala Concert.

Sa was nominated for the esteemed Tokyo series "The 100 Greatest Pianists" and as the cover artist of the launching issue of Gramophone magazine Chinese edition. She was also named by the French magazine L’OFFICIEL as one of the "Top ten Chinese Artists" and the Polish Government honoured the Chopin Art Passport to CHEN Sa in 2010, for her unique interpretation and achievement in Chopin’s music.

Up till now Sa has 10 audio albums. Three solo albums with JVC and IMC label in Japan, two live recordings from both Chopin and Cliburn competition were published by the Chopin Competition Warsaw and Harmonia Mundi, then three albums with Pentatone in Neatherland, of which two featured Chopin Piano Concerto and one was Russian Solo Works. Classical FM selected her Chopin Album as the "Best CD of the Month" for her "soulful performance". She has then recorded a Chinese Compositions album for BIS which she had experienced piano concerti with Chinese instruments instead, and it was described as "the most interesting and successful recording of new Chinese music so far" by BBC Music Magazine. In pursuance of wider comprehensive creativity freedom, Sa and her office ATELIERSA China came together with recording producer Johannes Mueller and Neri & Hu Design and Research Office, for her latest solo album featuring the complete Preludes by Claude Debussy with a special graphic design. This and other albums are all published also on Apple Music Global.

CHEN Sa continuously supports Chinese modern compositions and gave the premiere performances of piano concertos Xinqiban (2016) by Australian based Chinese composer Julian Yu, and Piano Concerto (2006) by WANG Xilin, premiered it with Basel Chamber Orchestra in 2013.

Aside from her regular performance schedule, Sa engages herself in charity work as well. She was invited as Classical Artist to be part of project that World Bank and the Norwegian government premiered the multimedia piano concerto Green Call and performed it through out China. She also appeared at the "Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day" event in Washington D.C. performed to over few thousands of audiences, as ambassador of promoting environmental protection programme. In 2020, CHEN Sa attended the world's first offline forum of the UNESCO "ResiliArt".

Since 2016 CHEN Sa receives invitations as jury in some prestigious competitions, Busoni Concourse Bolzano Italy, Sydney International Competition, Leeds International Piano Competition UK, and the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.