Biography

​Ariel Chien started her musical career at the age of 6 when she started piano at her hometown of Davis, CA. Her first venture into the string world began in the 4th grade at Pioneer Elementary, under the instruction of Kim Cole Feeney. As a young violist, she enjoyed many local orchestral opportunities, such as the All-City Elementary Orchestra and the Sacramento Youth Symphony (Premier and Academic). In high school, she had the privilege with working with director Angelo Moreno as part of the Davis Senior High School Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she was part of the UCD (University of California, Davis) Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Christian Baldini. She studied with Robert Bloch, Kineko Okumura, Matilda Hofman, Robert Becker, and Erika Eckert. 

Since 2014, Ariel Chien has taught violin, viola and piano in her hometown in Davis, CA.  Ariel Chien graduated from Chapman University (Orange, CA) with academic and performance honors as a Bachelor's of Music in Strings Performance, as well as a Master's in Music Education (Plus Licensure) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She currently resides in Orange, CA, teaching elementary orchestra (5th-6th grade) in Orange Unified School District.
In her free time, Ariel enjoys drawing, hanging out with her cat Pepper, and playing music!

Performance Excerpt: 
03/31/2018: Senior Recital
Sonata Op. 11 No. 4- Paul Hindemith

Ariel Chien, viola
Dr. Clara Cheng Stosch, piano
Performed in Salmon Recital Hall at Chapman University

Teaching Demonstration Excerpt #1:
Ariel Chien, teacher
High School- Student Teaching, 04/02/2021

The following is an excerpt of a lesson led by Ariel Chien for student teaching at a high school orchestra class. Teaching during the pandemic is not easy, especially when some students are remote! These fantastic students were freshmen, with many new to the orchestra experience. For the first time that year, they discovered the joy of syncopation with "America", from West Side Story! (by Leonard Bernstein, arr. by Pedro Gilabert)

Teaching Demonstration Excerpt #2:
​MSE Ensemble 2019, April 26th
Country Hoedown by Soon Hee Newbold
Ariel Chien, conductor

MSE 2019 Ensemble: A wonderful and engaging experience combining middle school students around the Boulder area with CU Boulder students as teachers. 2019's MSE final concert was an engaging and interactive student-parent lesson, led by the MSE conductors. Ariel Chien engages both the students and parents in an exciting lesson, featuring a brightly colored cowboy hat!