Yuan (Alba) Chen
Yuan Chen holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and a master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Memorial University. She is currently in the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choir Conducting program at the University of Toronto.
Recently, Yuan, as associate conductor of Chorus Niagara, also the former apprentice conductor of Orchestra Toronto, has received unanimous recognition and praise. Previously, Yuan served as the Musical Director at Nomad Stages in Stephenville, Newfoundland, where she led her choir to win the Best Choir award at the Stephenville Rotary Music Festival. Last summer, she also took on the role of Music Director for the 46th Stephenville Theatre Festival, further showcasing her exceptional leadership and communication skills. Additionally, she is a guest conductor for The Atlantic Boy Choir.
With over a decade of experience conducting choirs of all ages—from children to university students and seniors—Yuan has garnered significant accolades. She led the Chorus of the Department of History at Fudan University to a Silver Award in the Annual Chorus Competition and directed the Chorus of East China University of Political Science and Law to a Third Prize,both starting from scratch with no prior music background.
In addition to her choral achievements, Yuan has a rich background in the performing arts as an improvisation theatre actress, film producer, and director for five years.