“In Bright Sheng’s work, Chia was most effective, and one felt it was written for her as it suited her imaginative free performing style…”

 

“Chia’s keen ear for beautiful sounds provided some magical movements. … Chia is very sensitive and listens to herself in terms of the sonic effect…”

 

“Her playing was earnest and diligent, always with a lovely sound and with sincere feeling. I preferred her playing in many ways to the shallow, showy winners of some of the recent major competitions.”

New York Concert Review (Nov. 2004), by Howard Aibel

 

 “..she achieved an expressive mood that revealed her superb control of dynamics and color.”                                      

Musical Events on the Monterey Peninsula (Mar. 2001), by Lyn Bronson

 

    

   An active concert pianist, Dr. Edna Yuan-Yuan Chia has performed at numerous prestigious venues throughout the United States, Canada, China, and Taiwan.  Her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut in November 2004 resulted in a highly praised review on “New York Concert Review” magazine and consecutive concert engagements.  Her recital debut at Taiwan National Recital Hall in 2007 was tremendously successful, and followed by her several solo and chamber recital returns with thrilling performance of full programs of special topic series include Etudes and Transcriptions, Sonatas, Contemporary works, the quintessence of the French piano works, “The Love Words”- selections from Granados Goyescas, and Schumann Davidsbündlertänze, Nocturns, Fantasies, to name a few.

 

   A native of Taiwan, Dr. Edna Yuan-Yuan Chia completed Bachelor degree in piano performance in 1997 from National Taiwan Normal University.  She was awarded Master of Music in 2000, and Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance in 2005 at the Flora L. Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California, with an honor nomination as a member of Pi Kappa Lambda association.  Her primary teachers include world renowned pianists and professors Bernadene Blaha, Daming Zhu, Kung- Chin Lin and Ruth Hsueh- Yu Tung.  She had also worked with prof. Kevin FitzGerald in keyboard collaboration, prof. Lucinda Carver in instrumental conducting, and prof. Robert Moore in Musical Analysis.  Dr. Chia is now an assistant professor and keyboard faculty at her alma mater National Taiwan Normal University School of Music, University of Taipei, and Shih- Chien University, and directs classes include the Keyboard Literature and special topics in undergraduate and graduate programs, Chamber Music, Theory and Analysis, Graduate direct researches, and studio lessons. 

 

Dr. Chia has distinguished herself with numerous prizes and awards including: the Special Presentation Award of Artists International Presentation New York debut series; the annual selected artist of “I PAPITTI soloists” presented in chamber concert series by Young Artists International, Los Angeles; the selected artist of the Los Angeles County “Sundays at Two” concert series; both Gold medals in piano and composition from National Taiwan Music Competition; Silver prize from Carmel Music Society International Piano Competition; Silver prizes of National Taiwan Normal University Concerto Competition; Annual Ensemble Awards from USC keyboard department; Scholarship awards from Leni Fe Bland Foundation and USC Thornton School of Music; and the winner of MTAC Concerto Competition Southern California division.  She has also been the finalist in USC Concerto Competition, the "Arising Stars" Competition hosted by Taipei Philharmonic Foundation, and National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.  In 2022, Dr. Chia was awarded as Steinway Educational Partner.

 

Dr. Chia was also appointed as competition jury at National Taiwan Music Competitions, YAMAHA Taiwan piano competition and Scholarship Competitions, Taiwan Cultural Cup Competitions, New Art organization Young Artists Showcase competitions, New Tang Dynasty Television Piano competitions, the annual National Taiwan music collegiate and high schools entrance examinations auditions, and International Piara Piano Competition Taiwan preliminary round, and Japan Classical Music Competition Taiwan preliminary round.  

 

   Dr. Chia’s concert appearances include solo recitals, piano concertos, chamber concerts and several new music premiere.  She has presented herself in numerous concerts at The Weill recital hall of the Carnegie hall, Wyoming University Buchnan Concert Hall, Chicago VanderCook College concert hall, Taiwan National Concert Hall and the Recital Hall, National Taiwan Opera House Black Box, The Performance Hall of National Wei-Wu-Ying Concert Hall, the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts, Canada, Bing Theater of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Beverly Hills Library and Municipal Gallery, Sunset Performing Art Center at Carmel-By-The-Sea, USC Alfred Newman Hall and Arnold Schoenberg Institute, Steinway Gallery in Taipei and Pasadena, California, Southern Methodist University in Taos, New Mexico, Hunan Normal University Concert Hall, China, and the affiliated high school of Beijing Central Conservatory Concert Hall.  Her most recent performance include a solo recital at the Recital Hall of National Concert Hall, and The Black Box of National Taichung Opera House in Taiwan,  and a tour recitals this past March 2024 in United States include solo recitals at Steinway Gallery Pasadena, California and Recital Hall of Smith Memorial Hall at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.  Furthermore, Dr. Chia was also invited by Smiling Raindrop Foundation for a charity recital and giving masterclass at the community School of Music and Arts at Mountain View, California, and Dr. Chia is soon invited to return to the Bay area this coming summer for giving concert and more masterclasses.

 

Dr. Chia’s live performance was broadcasted by KMZT 105.1, KUSC 91.5 and the “One Month Festival” in Korea.  Her performance of Shostakovich Piano Concerto no. 1 with Taipei Sun Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra was highly praised.  Dr. Chia’s radio interviews has been presented at “Music Salad Bar” at the Voice of Han Broadcasting Networking, and “Mali’s music salon” at IC Broadcasting Company.  She was also invited as the appointed guest speaker at the radio series of programs “Prof. Yuan-Yuan Chia’s Classical Music Lectures” at the Voice of Han Broadcasting Networking, and had recorded 260 episodes in six years.

  

   As a pedagogue, Dr. Chia has been invited to give masterclasses and lectures at numerous venues.  Her presentation include Azur International Music Festival, the annual National Taipei University of Education conference, National Taipei University of Technology General Education lecture, National Chi-Nan University the Creative Class Program lecture series, YAMAHA Teachers League, KHS Music Podium series, Tainan Music Teachers League, and National Taiwan University Piano Club.  Her speeches and essays topics include “The Kaleidoscopic Fantasies”, “The Women in keyboard music”,    “The style and characteristics of Beethoven and Brahms Piano works”, “The style and traits of Debussy and Ravel piano works”, “A Study of Piano Nocturnes by American Composers Griffes, Barber, and Liebermann”, “The Last Treasure- the Study of Beethoven Bagatelles op. 126”, “The research of Sound, Color and Technique in Debussy’s Etudes pour les “cinq doigts” d’après Monsieur Czerny, pour les Tierces, pour les Octaves, pour les Degrés chromatiques, and pour les Arpèges composes”, “A structural hearing in music- to really hear the harmonic progressions, counterpoint between voices, and musical colors”, “The choice of repertoire and some memorandum of interpreting the designated pieces for the biannual piano division of National Taiwan Music Competition", “The Art of Pedaling”, “Take it easy! Memoradum of preparing competitions”, “Basic skills- How to practice scales and arpeggios”, “To examine your piano playing- to use your fingers, arms, and body adequately”, “Feeling the movement inside of the music- the real experience and relations between the pulse, breathe, and the musical dance character”, “An introduction of the twentieth century piano music”, “An introduction of the twentieth century American piano works”, and “An introduction of Shenkerian Analysis”. 

 

Dr. Chia has established a studio with numerous outstanding students include winners in the annual National Taiwan Music Competition, the International PIARA Piano Competition, the collegiate undergraduate concertos and chamber music competitions, and also the scholarship recipients in the masters and doctoral auditions in distinguished music schools in United States, and Taiwan, including Indiana University at Bloomington, The Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Boston University, New England Conservatory, University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne, Michigan State University, The Southwest Oklahoma University, Wyoming University, to name a few.

 

For further information of Dr. Chia’s most recent activities and radio broadcast archives can be found at www.ednachia.com and Apple Podcast “Edna Chia” at  https://podcasts.apple.com/tw/podcast/edna-chia/id1547113609 .   

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「在演繹盛宗亮的作品，賈元元幻想、自由的風格就如同樂曲為她而寫一般」; 「她在聲響上相當敏銳，她的音色表現及掌控極為奇妙」。

                                               Howard Ailbel, 紐約音樂會評論

                                     

「她顯現了極佳的力度及色彩的掌控能力」。          Lyn Bronson, 蒙特瑞音樂活動

 

鋼琴家賈元元不僅活耀於舞台演出，也衷心致力於鋼琴教育。她於2004年在紐約卡內基音樂廳威爾演奏廳的獨奏會首演倍受讚揚，獲樂評家Howard Ailbel於「紐約音樂會樂評」雜誌中給予高度評價。她成功的演出也贏得了不少後續的演出邀約。自2007年起在國家演奏廳頗受好評的返國個人獨奏會後，於2008、2010、2011、2013、2014、2016、2018、2020年相繼推出以整場練習曲與改編曲、奏鳴曲、二十世紀法國鋼琴作品、夜曲、音樂的象徵表現、「情話」、貝多芬晚期作品等主題之獨奏會曲目，展現紮實的演奏功力，及求音樂深度的企圖心。曾任教於國立嘉義大學音樂系暨音樂研究所。目前擔任國立台灣師範大學，台北市立大學，及實踐大學等三校音樂系暨音樂研究所助理教授，教授鋼琴作品與風格研究、二十世紀鋼琴作品研究、鋼琴室內樂、雙鋼琴及四手聯彈、大學、碩士班鋼琴主副修個別指導課、樂曲詮釋分析寫作指導等課程。學生們於年度台灣區縣市音樂比賽、校際協奏曲比賽、獨奏會、大師班、論文寫作及國內、外碩、博士班升學考試與申請入學中都有傑出的表現。

 

賈元元自幼即表現傑出。1990年通過教育部音樂資賦優異學生出國甄試，並甄試保送進入國立師大附中音樂班。1993年甄試保送進入國立臺灣師範大學音樂系。1997年分發實習於台北縣立二重國中。2000年及2005年分別獲得美國南加州大學音樂學院 (University of Southern California Flora L. Thornton School of Music) 鋼琴演奏碩士 (Master of Music)與音樂藝術博士 (Doctor of Musical Arts)，並榮獲USC提名為全美Pi Kappa Lambda音樂協會榮譽永久會員。鋼琴演奏曾師事Prof. Bernadene Blaha、Prof. Kevin FitzGerald、諸大明教授、董學渝教授、林公欽教授、張怡仙老師，理論與作曲曾師事Prof. Robert Moore、戴維后教授、蕭慶瑜教授、盧炎教授、黎國鋒老師。

 

賈元元曾獲臺灣區84學年度音樂比賽鋼琴成人組冠軍 (1995)，及三度獲得臺灣區音樂比賽樂曲創作冠軍 (1995, 1992, 1990)。旅美期間更榮獲紐約Artists International傑出藝術家獎 (2004)，洛杉磯Young Artist International年度青年藝術家獎 (2002)，Carmel Music Society International Piano Competition亞軍 (2002)，USC年度室內樂演奏家獎 (2001, 2000)，Phi Kappa Lambda榮譽會員殊榮等。

 

賈元元以獨奏家及鋼琴合作音樂家身份活躍於舞台。獨奏會、室內樂及新音樂發表等形式的演出足跡遍布台灣、中國、美國、與加拿大等地知名音樂廳。包括

紐約卡內基音樂廳威爾演奏廳、洛杉磯縣立美術館音樂廳、班夫音樂節、“I Palpitti獨奏家群” 於Southern Methodist University at Taos音樂廳、Beverly Hills 圖書館與市政廳、廣播電台KMZT 105.1 “Sunday’s Live!” 音樂會、KUSC 91.5現場音樂會等系列、美國懷俄明大學Buchnan 音樂廳、洛杉磯史坦威鋼琴演奏廳、芝加哥VanderCook音樂學院演奏廳、韓國 “One Month Festival”、台北國家音樂廳及演奏廳、台中歌劇院、高雄衛武營表演廳、北京中央音樂院附中音樂廳、湖南師範大學音樂廳、台北市中山堂中正廳及光復廳、功學社音樂廳、東吳大學松怡廳、新北、桃園、新竹、台中等地文化中心、台中中興堂、台南浣莎音樂沙龍、高雄音樂館等地演出。近兩年演出包括鋼琴獨奏會「百變•幻想」於台北國家演奏廳及台中歌劇院小劇場演出，與台北陽光交響樂團合作D. Shostakovich第一號鋼琴協奏曲，國立台灣師範大學「建校100週年鋼琴學術研討會暨音樂會」及美國南加州大學台灣音樂校友會「舞動南加州V」巡迴音樂會於台北國家演奏廳、台中歌劇院小劇場、高雄衛武營表演廳演出、應邀國立暨南國際大學「執行校外補助計畫實施開課之創新課程」音樂敘事講座暨演奏、及實踐大學碩士班師生聯合音樂會等。2022年4月獲頒亞洲「史坦威教育夥伴」殊榮，表彰其演奏、音樂教育方面的成就與努力。2024年3月底賈元元博士於美國伊利諾州立大學香檳分校 (University of Ilinois at Urbana Champaign) 史密茲紀念音樂廳舉行獨奏會，及洛杉磯巴沙迪那市史坦威中心、北加州山景市音樂學院 (CSMA) 舉行獨奏會與大師班指導。

 

   論文發表、講座及電台訪問邀約包括國立台北教育大學「鋼琴教學學術研討會暨論文發表會」發表論文「最後的珠玉­- 貝多芬《六首鋼琴小品，作品一二六》之教學探討」(2019)、臺北市立大學「藝術學刊」發表論文「美國作曲家葛利菲斯、巴伯、李伯曼鋼琴夜曲之研究」(2018)；「德布西《十二首練習曲》中「為全部五指的」「為三度的」「為八度的」「為半音階的」「為琶音的」音響及技術層面的教學探討」(2012)；國立暨南國際大學、國立台北科技大學通識教育講座、台大鋼琴社、台南音樂教師聯誼會、功學社「音樂講堂」、YAMAHA 音樂教師聯誼會等邀請，演講「百變·幻想- 幻想曲多種樣貌」(2023)、「鋼琴音樂中形塑的女性」(2022)、「解碼貝多芬」(2020)、「古典與浪漫主義- 概述貝多芬及布拉姆斯的鋼琴音樂風格與特徵」(2019)、「象徵主義與現代主義-概述德布西與拉威爾鋼琴音樂的風格與特徵」(2019)、「穩定度的展現-實力養成秘笈」(2018、2016)、「淺談巴哈鋼琴作品- 啟程之鑰」(2017)、「從貝多芬晚期鋼琴奏鳴曲談起-探浪漫樂派鋼琴作品的特色」(2016)、「水能載舟亦能覆舟-談踏瓣的應用」(2016)、「Take it Easy! 準備比賽的貼心叮嚀」(2016)、「全國音樂比賽講座-曲目 練習之建議」(2015)、「「活」的音樂! 談拍點、呼吸、到音樂的舞蹈性」(2014)、「二十世紀鋼琴音樂概論」(2014)，「運籌帷幄- 適當運用從手指、手臂到身體的彈奏」(2013)、「感覺到音樂的律動了嗎? 談基本拍點、呼吸、到音樂的舞蹈性」(2013)、「音樂的線性思考- 和聲、對位、與調性色彩」(2011、2013)、「二十世紀的美國鋼琴音樂」(2010)，以及「最基本的基本功- 如何在音階與琶音練習上，下一些不一樣的功夫，以及延伸的思考」(2010、2013)、及「淺談賢克分析法 (Shenkerian Analysis)」(2006)。數度於臺北市立成功高中舉行「午後的鋼琴呢喃」、「音樂藝術特色課程」鋼琴大師班，及受邀國立南港高中校刊以「追」為主題的「名家專訪」。受邀IC之音97.5「馬利音樂沙龍」及漢聲廣播電台「琴韻心聲」、「音樂沙拉Bar」節目專訪，自2018年10月起受邀在「音樂沙拉Bar」節目開闢每周一常態帶狀單元「賈元元老師的古典音樂課」節目至今，頗受好評。

 

詳盡的演出及講座、廣播節目內容資訊請參閱個人網頁www.ednachia.com，及Podcast “Edna Chia” https://podcasts.apple.com/tw/podcast/edna-chia/id1547113609。