Taiwanese flutist Chih-Yu (Coco) Cheng is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at New York University under the guidance of Soo-Kyung Park. Her musical journey began with piano studies at the age of three, and she began her flute studies at nine with Chia-Ling Wu and Yi-Jhen Chen. After relocating to the United States, she continued her flute studies with Elzbieta Brandys-O’Neill during her high school years in Boston.
Chih-Yu pursued her undergraduate studies at the State University of New York Stony Brook, studying under Stephanie Kwak, Eun Hae Oh, and Hae Jee (Ashley) Cho. During her undergraduate years, she was an active member of the Stony Brook Silver Winds Flute Ensemble and the Stony Brook University Orchestra. In 2020, Chih-Yu received an Honorable Mention in the undergraduate concerto competition.
Amidst the challenges during the pandemic, Chih-Yu demonstrated her commitment to spreading positivity in society by organizing an online volunteer concert in Taiwan. Together with Chih-Yu, she held online concerts. Her passion for music extends beyond solo performances, she was a member of the MIT Symphony Orchestra in 2023.
Chih-Yu has also enriched her musical experience through participation in several chamber groups and has had the opportunity to engage with prominent musicians in master classes or individual sessions. The prominent musicians include Suzanne Gilchrest, Yi-Che Lee, Judith Mendenhall, Vanessa Mulvey, Keith Underwood, Yoobin Son, and Paolo Taballione.
You can find Chih-Yu’s 2024 Winter Music Competition flute performance here.