In the grand, often too serious world of classical music, Zhangbo Chen strikes a chord that's refreshingly different. Picture this: a young boy, barely tall enough to see over a piano, decides that those black and white keys are just too much trouble. Enter the violin, a sleek and straightforward alternative, or so young Chen thought at the tender age of five. Chen's tale is one peppered with the colorful realities of a musician's life set against the backdrop of his homeland, China, where his family serves as his anchor in the stormy seas of the music world. And when the violin bow is down, Chen is likely to be found either lost in the world of jazz trumpet or perhaps even on the pitch of a football match.

Born in 2004, Mr. Chen already possessed a rather unique understanding of music. At the age of ten he enrolled in one of the top conservatories in China and after nearly seven years of study with violin pedagogues Prof. Nan Xie, Tao Yan, and Liang Chai, decided to move to Europe to continue his studies in 2021 where he is currently under the tutelage of Professor Eva-Christina Schönweiß at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler. Chen also receives a great rush of inspiration from lessons with his longtime musical idols, Professor Igor Malinovsky and Vineta Sareika. During his study in China, Berlin and abroad, he has had the honor of learning in master classes with Zakhar Bron, Maxim Vengrov, Goto Midori, Vadim Repin and Ning Feng.

Prize holder of several competitions for solo and chamber music, Zhangbo Chen has made appearances at the Konzerthaus Berlin, Philharmonie Berlin Kammermusiksaal, Berliner Dom, Köln Dom, Vienna Konzerthaus, Beijing Concert Hall, and Shenzhen Concert Hall. Chen enjoys studying and performing a variety of styles in Berlin; he's an avid chamber musician, finding chamber music success in his duo with guitarist Qianzheng Wang.

Off stage, Chen trades his violin bow for a camera, capturing landscapes and faces with the same passion he applies to his music. Whether it's a stunning vista or an insightful portrait, Chen's photography, much like his music, tells stories that words alone cannot.

Zhangbo Chen currently performs on a Nicolo Gagliano violin from 1750.

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