Marina Chen, 17, a junior at the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences, began her music education at the age of four, first on the piano and later on the violin. She currently studies with Alexander Treger, concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A versatile performer, Marina has appeared as a soloist, a chamber musician, and an orchestra member. After her solo debut with the Santa Monica Symphony in 2008, she went on to win the Junior Division of the National Debut Orchestra Concerto Competition sponsored by the Young Musicians Foundation. In January 2009, Marina was named “The Most Promising Young Musician” at the Bronislaw Kaper Awards hosted by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Marina enjoys playing in ensembles and has collaborated with her sister Myrna, a pianist, ever since she began learning the violin. For the past three years, she has been selected to take part in the annual Young Musicians Foundation Chamber Music Series, performing at various venues including the Los Angeles County Museum of the Art’s Bing Theater from which the concerts were broadcasted live on K-Mozart and K-USC. As a member of both American Youth Symphony and the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra, she has performed extensively throughout the greater Los Angeles areas.

Marina has been a recipient of numerous musical scholarships including those from the Westside Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Colburn School of Performing Arts, the Young Musicians Foundation, the Léni Fé Bland Foundation, as well as the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation. In previous summers, Marina has attended the Encore School for Strings and the Aspen Music Festival and School--where she performed in a master class for Pamela Frank. In June 2010, she will be representing the state of California at the Kennedy Center/ National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute in Washington D.C. on a full scholarship.

An enthusiastic volunteer, Marina devotes her time serving local communities, sharing her talent, and promoting the appreciation of classical music. In addition to playing during Saddleback Church’s weekend services as a member of the orchestra, Marina has also performed in various fundraising activities for multiple non-profit organizations such as Girls Inc., the Ride to Fly, Piece by Piece, HIV Aids Conferences at Saddleback Church, Family in Crisis, and many others.

Marina would like to thank the Lord for blessing her with such an amazing talent, Maestro Reinecke and the members of the Pasadena Community Orchestra for all their hard work, YMF for its encouragement and financial support, her teachers, her friends, her family, and especially, her sister, Myrna, who tirelessly accompanies her on the piano all the time.