Page 186 - PDF Flip TR Program Demo

After finishing her doctorate degree at Eastman in May, Jenny is thrilled to return to Tippet Rise for her third summer. Her exuberance and buoyant enthusiasm bring a fresh energy to her performance.
Devanney Haruta: Your approach
to classical music is uniquely creative, inventive, and exciting. Where do you find the inspiration for your
new ideas?
Jenny Chen: I wouldn’t consider myself a classical pianist. I’m a musician of all kinds of music. Instead of just standard repertoire, I think of what can be the best way to give audiences a new, fresh feeling. This has been my third
year doing my doctorate degree here at Eastman, and I’m very glad of my choice. It’s not just about fundamentals— you have improvisation, you have the jazz department . . . I am also studying African music this semester. I think learn- ing African music really helps me to be more creative, more experimental. I learned a lot of musical instruments, such as mbira, djembe, percussive instruments. And then to put that element into piano, it’s one area that I really want to look at.
DH: In your concerts, you always engage with the audience by talking and telling stories. Why is this important to your performance?
JC: I think nowadays playing music is not enough. Being
186 The Music at Tippet Rise
CONVERSATION WITH
JENNY CHEN