Chun-Ya Pien
Chun-Ya Pien, originally from Taiwan, is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at Arizona State University, where she studies with Dr. Baruch Meir, a Bösendorfer Concert Artist. She previously held a graduate assistantship, teaching group piano courses for both music majors and non-majors, as well as private lessons. She earned both her Bachelor of Music (with Honors) and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Iowa, studying under Dr. Ksenia Nosikova and graduating with High Distinction. During her master’s studies, she also served as a graduate assistant, mentoring students in their musical development and working as a collaborative pianist in instrumental studios.
Chun-Ya has performed across Taiwan, the United States, and Europe, and has received awards in numerous competitions, including the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition, Schubert Club Competition, Future Stars International Piano Competition, MTNA Young Artist Competition, Semper International Piano Competition, and the Iowa Center for the Arts Scholarship Competition. She has also participated in international music festivals, including the Semper Music International Festival, Atlantic Music Festival, and Vienna MusikSeminar.
In addition to her work as a soloist, she is an active chamber musician who has participated in masterclasses with internationally renowned artists, including members of the JACK Quartet, Brentano String Quartet, Miró Quartet, Pacifica Quartet, Spektral Quartet, Daedalus Quartet, Emerson Quartet, as well as Orion Weiss and Emanuel Ax. She is also actively engaged in community performances and is frequently invited to perform Taiwanese music at cultural events in Arizona, promoting Taiwanese culture through collaborations with local organizations.
Her achievements have been recognized through several honors, including the ASU Special Talent Award, the ASU GPSA Teaching Excellence Award, the University of Iowa Ogilvie Stark Scholarship, and the Iowa State Gold Merit Scholarship. In addition to her performance and teaching, Chun-Ya has presented at professional conferences, including the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Symposium (Columbia, South Carolina), the Piano Industry Professionals and Producers Affiliated Convention (Las Vegas, Nevada), and the “Voices in Piano Pedagogy” Conference (Mesa, Arizona), where she presented a lecture-recital project featuring piano works by women composers for beginner and intermediate students. She is also invited to present at the 96th Arizona State Music Teachers Conference (Tucson, Arizona), exploring innovative approaches to integrating electronic devices into piano pedagogy and enhancing student engagement in contemporary learning environments.
Chun-Ya has served as Competition Coordinator for the 11th Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competitions and the Arizona Young Artist Piano Competition, as well as a prescreening judge for the James R. Anthony Honors Recital Competition. She has also served as an adjudicator for the Arizona Study Program. An active member of the Music Teachers National Association, she serves as Co-President of the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at Arizona State University, where she helps lead initiatives that promote music education and community engagement through masterclasses, outreach programs, and performance opportunities for students of all ages.
For Chun-Ya, music is a blend of imagination, color, and storytelling that connects people beyond words.
