Lauded by Gramophone (UK) as “an ideal champion of melody, traditional harmony and conservative values”, William Chen enjoys an international reputation as a commanding concert artist with “an infectious flair for performance” (The Independent, UK). He has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, London, as well as the Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland Symphony Orchestras in major concert halls across Australia. He has also been a featured artist at the Beijing and Shanghai Concert Halls and Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Widely acclaimed for his solo performances in New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Sydney, Shanghai, and other major cities throughout Australia and China, William was invited by the Australian government to give solo recitals at the 2005 Japan World Expo Australian Pavilion, and again at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo Pavilion.

William has won numerous international awards, including First Prize at the Grace Welsh International Piano Competition in Chicago, and The Juilliard School’s prestigious Gina Bachauer International Award. He has also received the International Scholarship Award of the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and was an Inaugural Overseas Scholar of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust.

William has studied with some of the world’s most eminent pianists, including Christopher Elton, Maria Curcio, Gyorgy Sebok, Jerome Lowenthal, Elizabeth Powell and Yu Wang. He has an Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) recognizing his significant contributions to musical landscape. He holds both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, as well as an Artist Diploma from the Indiana University School of Music in the USA.

At the behest of British composer Howard Blake, William recorded the premiere of his solo piano work “lifecycle”. When the album debuted in 2003, it reached the Top 10 on ABC Australia’s Classical Chart. Similarly, Chinese composer Chu Wang-Hua chose William to give the world premiere of his Fantasy on Jasmine Flower. Most recently, William recorded Chu Wang-Hua’s solo piano works for the 2017 release of the collection Chinese Centennial Piano Solo Pieces.

William is currently Professor of Piano and Head of the Piano Department at the famed Music Middle School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music where it is his privilege to instruct some of today’s most luminous young talents. His award winning students include 2023 XI The International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians piano Gold Medalist Yutian Yang and 2024 China Golden Bell Award National Youth Piano Competition Gold Medalist Yau Nam Ng.