Justin Chen is a 14-year-old Canadian pianist and composer. Currently a fourth-year student at the Royal Conservatory of Music Taylor Academy and a ninth-grade student at the University of Toronto Schools. Justin has already achieved significant milestones in his musical journey. In June 2023, he won first place in the Canadian Music Competition (CMC) National Finals for piano in the age 12 category.
Justin started playing the piano at age six, began composing music at seven, and started violin at 11. By the age of 11, he earned his Piano ARCT diploma, and at 13, he achieved his LRCM diploma. He currently studies piano under Professor Li Wang and has attended master classes with prominent musicians such as Stewart Goodyear, Anton Nel, Elzbieta Wiedner-Zajaz, Makoto Ozone, James Anagnoson, and Randall Faber.
Justin made his Carnegie Hall debut at age eight and the following year won the Canadian Music Trophy at the CCC Music Festival. That year, he was also invited to perform his own composition for Her Imperial Highness, the Royal Princess, at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He won first place in the 2021 GOCAA International Piano Competition and became a 2021 GOCAA Young Artist. In 2022, he was awarded the Yip’s Music Festival Best of Levels (ARCT) Trophy and the David Ouchterlony Memorial Scholarship as the Most Promising Student at the Kiwanis Music Festival. He also hosted his first piano solo recital in Vancouver in July 2022.
He became a 2023 OYMI Music Festival Contract Award winner and premiered his original piano concerto with OYMCO orchestra, in June 2024. As a first-place winner in the Global Philharmonic Music Competition, Justin was invited to perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in August 2024. Outside of music, Justin enjoys badminton, science, coding, and speed cubing.