UMKC Music Composition Professor Honored Among Best of Contemporary Musicians

Chen Yi's newest world recognition follows a career of breaking glass ceilings; overcoming obstacles

Chen Yi, DMA, Lorena Searcy Cravens/Millsap/Missouri Distinguished Professor of Composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, is one of the newest honorary members of the International Society for Contemporary Music. Chen joins the ranks of legendary musicians such as Igor Stravinsky ("Rite of Spring," "The Firebird") and Aaron Copland ("Appalachian Spring," "Fanfare for the Common Man").

"It's a privilege and an honor to have my work supported by my peers worldwide," Chen said. "I have studied many of their compositions extensively because they're the great composers of our time, and I've worked with some of them in competitions and festivals. It's humbling to be recognized along with them."

Musicians are nominated and voted on before becoming an honorary member. The title honors a person's internationally remarkable achievements in the field of contemporary music.

"Dr. Chen's accomplishments are incredible and can be held up next to any composer of our time," UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal said. "We're fortunate to have her here at UMKC, and there's no question that her students benefit greatly from her knowledge and creativity."

Founded in 1922, the International Society for Contemporary Music, or ISCM, has inducted 74 musicians in its history; only four are women. Chen is one of two musicians to be inducted since 2020.

"As the only female, Asian composer to be an honorary member, I feel more responsibility to support female composers in our society," Chen said. "I share my experiences with younger generations and work hard to inspire more people, to bring up more female composers and let their voices be heard in our society."

Chen has achieved international renown as a prolific composer who blends Chinese and Western traditions, transcending cultural and musical boundaries. Born in China, Chen began playing the piano at age 3 and the violin when she was 4. The Cultural Revolution interrupted her studies as a teenager. After nearly two years of hard labor in the countryside, Chen returned to her home city of Guangzhou to play violin as the concertmaster in the orchestra for the Beijing Opera Troupe in Guangzhou.

Chen received bachelor's and master's degrees from the Central Conservatory in Beijing, and in doing so became the first woman to earn an M.A. in music composition from the institution. She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts from Columbia University in New York and has served as Composer in Residence in the Women's Philharmonic, Chanticleer and Aptos Creative Arts Center. In 1996, Chen became the first woman in the United States to give a whole evening of multimedia concert with her symphonic and choral works in San Francisco.

She has received fellowships and awards from the Guggenheim Foundation (1996), Fromm Foundation at Harvard University (1994), Koussevitzky Music Foundation at the Library of Congress (1997) and National Endowment for the Arts (1994). Chen was a recipient of Ives Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letter in 2001-2004 and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for orchestra in 2006. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005 and the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2019.

In addition to all her accomplishments, Chen is a strong advocate and cultural ambassador for musicians around the world. She has worked with musicians in programs in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland and many Asian countries. Her influence can be felt worldwide in the works of her students, including UMKC Doctor of Musical Arts student Ian Chung.

"Dr. Chen is one of the best teachers I have ever had, her guidance and insights have profoundly shaped my approach to composition," Chung said. "Her way of explaining complex musical ideas with clarity and patience has transformed how I understand contemporary classical music. Moreover, she provides invaluable insights on the music industry and helped me shape my career path. I feel incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Chen as a mentor, and her influence will resonate in my work and career for years to come."