Praised by ToledOvations as a violinist with “grace and artistry,” Kai-Wei Chen is a versatile musician and an enthusiastic music educator. Born in Taiwan and moved to the United States in 2012, Dr. Chen earned her Bachelor’s degree at National Taiwan Normal University, her Master’s degree with highest honors (J. Paul Kennedy Music Achievement Award) at Bowling Green State University, and her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. Her primary teachers include Stefan Milenkovich, Jacques Israelievitch, Penny Thompson Kruse, Shian-Da Su, and the Jupiter Quartet. She has also performed in masterclasses given by Leonidas Kavakos, Gil Shaham, Roland and Almita Vamos, and Tianwa Yang, among others.

Dr. Chen has previously worked in several orchestras, including the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and so on, often as concertmaster or principal second. She also appeared as a soloist with the Eastern Symphony Orchestra and was the featured soloist at the International Workshop on Computer Music and Audio Technology. She has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Yoyo Ma, Riccardo Muti, Vadim Repin, Sarah Chang, Jan Mráček, Christoph Eschenbach, Emmanuel Krivine, and Bramwell Tovey. Since 2018, Dr. Chen has been a member of Lincoln Center Stage, performing chamber music and solo recitals on luxurious cruise ships.

Interested in a wide range of music, Dr. Chen enjoys playing different genres of music, from baroque to contemporary, jazz improvisations, and pop music. She has commissioned and premiered many works by contemporary composers. In the pop music industry, she has recorded soundtracks for Taiwanese and American television series; and was recently invited to perform with the world-famous singer Helmut Lotti on Belgium National Day in 2024.

As a dedicated teacher, Dr. Chen has taught at institutions including the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Illinois String Academy Program), Bowling Green State University, Chicago Metamorphosis Orchestra Project, and Paul Rolland String Camp. She has also given numerous seminars and masterclasses in Taiwan to inspire musicians and students in Taiwan to connect to the world.