Chen Lin   

    Born in Taiwan, Chen Lin has gained versatile reputation playing diverse styles of music, from Classical, Jazz, Tango, to Contemporary. Ms. Lin appears as soloist, chamber and orchestra musician at numerous venues, including recent performances in Taiwan, Japan and the USA.

    Chen Lin is a member of the Boston String Quartet since 2005. With the Quartet, Ms. Lin has performed at such venues as Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall and Boston Symphony Hall. Described by the Boston Globe as “exploring different ways of sparking musical interest,” the Quartet frequently concertizes in New England area, and has created its educational program, the “Xibus Tour,” in collaboration with high school and college music programs throughout the States. With the group’s educational tour, Ms. Lin has led workshops, as well as given viola and chamber music masterclasses at numerous schools. To date, the Quartet has released four independent albums – “Spectrum,” “On Christmas Eve,” “Contrasts,” and “Xibus.”

    Ms. Lin has won awards at several competitions. She received the First Prize at Taipei Music Competition in 2003, the Fourth Prize at Taiwan Music Competition in 2004 and the Second Prize at Taipei Municipal University of Education’s Concerto Competition. A winner of the American String Teachers Association State-Level Competition (for Massachusetts State, 2006), Ms. Lin also won the Viola Prize at Boston University’s Bach Competition in 2008.

    As an orchestra musician, Ms. Lin received engagements with Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Lexington Symphony Orchestra, Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, among others, and has been Principal Violist of Neponset Philharmonic Orchestra. A founding violist of the Boston Chamber Orchestra, with the group, Ms. Lin was invited by Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies, to premiere and record Marcel Tyberg’s String Sextet at Mary Scaton Room, Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo in 2009.

    Ms. Lin received her Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in Viola Performance at Boston University in 2011, where she is a full scholarship student under the tutelage of Professor Michelle LaCourse, Chair of the String Department. She has served as Teaching Assistant of the String Department and of Professor LaCourse, and as String Chamber Music Assistant. Devoted in music education, Ms. Lin maintains an active teaching studio, and is one of the founding faculties of Youth & Muse Boston International Summer Music Festival. Ms. Lin received her Bachelor’s degree in Music and Education from Taipei Municipal University of Education, Taiwan, and Master’s degree as a full scholarship student from The Boston Conservatory. Her previous teachers include Lee-Weng Wang, Teizo Yoshinaga and Roger Tapping. She has attended viola masterclasses by Igor Boguslavski and Marcus Thompson, and received chamber music coachings by Raphael Hillyer, Steven Ansell, Peter Zazofsky, Peter Frankl and Norman Fischer.

Beste Tiknaz 

    Beste Tiknaz, who comes from a musician family, was born in Istanbul in 1982. She started her music education at Istanbul University Satate Conservatory with Ani Inci at the age of 7. Before receiving her BA degree in 2002, she was selected to be the Most Successful Student two years in a row and received scholarship from Istanbul University. She received her Master’s Degree from Istanbul University Social Science Institute in 2004. She studied at the Boston Conservatory between 2006-2008 with full scholarship at the Performance Diploma Program.

    She had the chance to study with world known musicians such as; Y. Bashmet, N. Imai, Prof. M. Bucchholz, L. Matczynski, M. Kelley, M. Ruth Ray, P. Farulli, M. Tenenbaum, R. Noren, Prof. T. Masurenko, R. Gunes, B. Guiranna, R. Diaz, R. Tapping, M. Thompson, C. Phelps in master classes and workshops.

     Tıknaz has own national and international prizes and awards, such as; ICMEC Competition (Gold Medal), BO.CO. String Idol, MTNA Young Concert Artists State and Eastern Competitions, BO.CO. Concerto Competition, 9 Eylul University national viola Competition. Tıknaz has been giving recitals and taking places as a soloist infront of the orchestras at international areas. She also has been an active chamber music player. She had been a member of long term ensembles such as Kibele Quartet, Sospiro Quartet and Winsor Music Quartet.

    She has been appeared at famous concert halls around the world such as  CRR, IS SANAT Concert Hall, Ataturk Culture Center, BOSTON SYMPHONY HALL, HARVARD SANDERS Theatre, BONN BEETHOVEN HALLE, BERLIN KONZERTHAUSE, CARNEGIE HALL (NY).

    She has toured and attended prestigious festivals such as; Istanbul International Music Festival, Beethoven Fest (Bonn), Budapest Spring Fest, Berlin Youth Orchestras festival, Apple Hill Chamber Music Fest, Mediteranen Contemproray  Music Days etc.

    She works with many chamber and symphonic orchestras: Boston Conservatory Orchestra, Emmanuel Music, Boston Chamber Orchestra (principal), Istanbul University State Conservatory Orchestra (principal), Cemal Resit Rey Symphony Orchestra (principal), Akbank Chamber Orchestra, Tekfen BlackSea Soloist Philarmony Orchestra. She is curently DMA student of Ani Inci  and working as an Assistant at Istanbul University State Conservatory. She has started “Beste Tiknaz and Peace stars” project and  international concert tour.