We wanted to tell our readers about a rather exciting concert in support of the Newland House School, Teddington. Siying Chen, a lyrical soprano, will be performing at St Cuthbert’s Church in Earl’s Court on 13th December 2024 and Kensington and Chelsea Review would like to urge readers and locals to support the charity event.
Siying Chen is a lyrical soprano with a diverse background in Western opera and Chinese Performance Art Theory. She holds a Master’s degree in opera singing from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (2016-2018), where she studied under the guidance of soprano Suzanne Murphy. During this time, she collaborated with distinguished accompanists Joseph Middleton and Simon Lepper. Siying currently works with conductor Samuel Draper.
Siying’s academic journey also includes a PhD in Chinese Performance Art Theory from the Chinese National Academy of Arts, awarded in 2011. Before that, she earned both a Master’s (2004) and a Bachelor’s degree (2001) in Vocal Art from the Nanjing Art Institute. Her interest in the entrepreneurial aspects of the arts led her to pursue the prestigious EMBA-Global Asia program—a collaborative initiative between London Business School, Columbia Business School, and the University of Hong Kong Business School—culminating in her Executive MBA in 2016.
Between 2004 and 2014, Siying served as a lecturer at the Nanjing Art Institute, sharing her expertise in vocal performance. In September 2016, she made her solo recital debut in Nanjing, China, followed by a series of performances in Cardiff and London. These included her “Love and Faith” recital in May 2017, the November 2017 presentation “A Walk to the Botanical Garden,” which highlighted floral-themed art songs, and her 2018 recital “Serendipity,” featuring European folk songs.
It might be worth noting that as the title suggests, “Songs That My mother Taught Me” is a recital dedicated to the cherished memory of Siying’s mother. Readers can book their tickets here https://www.siyingchen.co.uk/concerts
