The public is invited to a free recital from award-winning pianist Sean Chen on Friday, May 29, at 8 p.m. in the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. Chen’s performance is one of the highlights of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association annual state conference, which will be hosted by Oklahoma State University Thursday, May 28, through Saturday, May 30. 

Chen, who is hailed as a rising star with a “million-volt smile” and a “formidable set of fingers” (Dallas Morning News) won the 2013 American Pianists Association's DeHaan Classical Fellowship, one of the most lucrative and significant prizes available to an American pianist. He also won third prize at the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, becoming the first American to reach the finals since 1997.

The 25-year-old American pianist has appeared as soloist with symphony orchestras in Indianapolis, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, New West, Phoenix, and San Diego as well as the Suwon City Philharmonic in South Korea.

Last season, Chen performed in recital at Jordan Hall in Boston, the Dame Myra Hess Series in Chicago, SubCulture in New York City, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and on tour in the Czech Republic.

In March 2014 International Piano magazine named Chen “One To Watch.” He is currently under the management of the American Pianists Association. When not at the piano, Chen enjoys tinkering with computers and composing.

For more information, contact Heather Lanners in the OSU Department of Music at (405) 744-8990  or go to  https://www.oklahomamta.org/conferences/state-conference-2015/guest-artist-2015/. For additional information on Chen’s past performances, go to  AmericanPianists.org.