Emily Chen is a 9th grader from Winchester, Massachusetts. She has loved music since a very young age, starting piano when she was 3 years old and picking up the violin at 8 years old. She currently studies with Fudeko Takahashi Cohler of the New England Conservatory of Music. She is a member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and was part of various NEC Prep orchestras from 2021 to 2025, and her roles include Concertmaster of the NEC Youth Repertory Orchestra from 2023 to 2024. She was the concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra at Honors Performance Series 2025, performing at Carnegie Hall. Her achievements include 1st place at the Miclot International Music Competition 2024, Honorable Mention at MTNA Strings Competition 2024, and an Honorable Mention at the Arlington Young Artist Competition 2024. She won first place at the Bay State Strings Competition in 2023, and was invited to play at the 2024 Junior Bach Festival (Winners’ Recital).
Besides violin, Emily greatly enjoys math and biology, and is a part of Winchester High School’s Math Team, Science Olympiad team, and HOSA medical team. In her free time, Emily likes to read books, play tennis, bake desserts, and spend time with her friends.
She is excited to attend the Charleston Competition, and hopes she can spread the beautiful joy of music to many others!
Watch Emily Yue-Lin Chen perform Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, Movement 1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky on the violin for the 2026 Winter Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.