American violinist Stella Chengarnered worldwide attention with her first-prize win at the 2019 Queen Elizabeth International Violin Competition, followed by the 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant and 2020 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.
Since then, Stella has appeared across North America, Europe, and Asia in concerto, recital, and chamber music performances. She recently made debuts with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Baltimore Symphony, Belgian National Orchestra, and many others and appeared in concertos at the Vienna Musikverein, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Berlin Philharmonie. In recital, recent appearances include Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Phillips Collection, Rockport Music Festival, and Nume Festival in Italy. She appears frequently with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center both in New York and on tour.
For her all-Schubert debut album, released in March of 2023 to critical acclaim on the Apple Music label Platoon, Stella was named the 2023 Young Artist of the Year at the Gramophone Awards.
Among the highlights of her busy 2024/25 season are debuts with orchestras such as the San Francisco, New World, and Toronto Symphonies, recitals throughout North America, Europe and Asia, and a major tour in China, where she opened the Shanghai Philharmonic’s season with the Barber Concerto.
Stella has appeared as a chamber musician in festivals including the Kronberg Academy, Moritzburg, Ravinia, Seattle Chamber Music, Perlman Music Program, Music@Menlo, Bridgehampton, Rockport, and Sarasota. She returns to the Sarasota Music Festival as faculty in 2025.
She is the inaugural recipient of the Robert Levin Award from Harvard University, where she was inspired by Robert Levin himself. Teachers and mentors have included Donald Weilerstein, Itzhak Perlman, Miriam Fried, Li Lin, and Catherine Cho. She received her doctorate from the Juilliard School where she serves as a teaching assistant. She is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Shenandoah Conservatory and faculty at the annual Nume Festival and Academy in Cortona, Italy.
Stella plays the General Kyd 1720 Stradivarius, on generous loan from Dr. Ryuji Ueno and Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative.
2024/25 Season
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSO by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
