Pianist Wayman Chin has performed widely throughout the United States, Asia, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, his concerts include performances at Princeton University, the Curtis Institute of Music, Jordan Hall in Boston, and the Honolulu Academy of Arts and the Old First Concert Series in San Francisco. In the Far East, Mr. Chin has appeared at Tsuen Wan Town Hall in Hong Kong, and in the Philippines, on the Sala Foundation concert series, at the residence of the US Ambassador in Manila and at Soochow University in Taipei.
Wayman Chin’s playing has been described as, “transcendental, long lines spun like glorious gold thread,” “ferociously concentrated, intense, focused, and musically astute” (Boston Herald), “vividly characterized and atmospheric,” (Stamford Mercury, U.K.) and “sheer magic….every note is colored.”(the Freeman, Philippines).
Devoted to chamber music playing, Mr. Chin has collaborated with artists such as the Pacifica Quartet, Cassatt String Quartet, violinist Eric Rosenblith, violist Masumi Rostad, cellist Thomas Kraines, sopranos Nancy Armstrong and Maria Jette and baritone Thomas Meglioranza. For twelve seasons, he was a member of the artist faculty at the Yellow Barn Music School and Festival and also performed and taught at the Stamford International Music Festival in England.
An advocate of new music, Wayman Chin has premiered a number of works by noted composers, including those of Scott Wheeler, Marti Epstein, Meyer Kupferman, Jeremy Van Buskirk, and Paul Brust; he has also introduced several works of Aaron Jay Kernis to Boston audiences. Of Chin’s performance of Kernis’ Valentines, with soprano Karyl Ryczek, David Cleary of 21st Century Music wrote, “Wayman Chin traversed the formidable challenges of the piano part with conspicuous success. His highly demonstrative performing style excellently suited the work’s forthright nature.”
Wayman Chin joined Longy’s faculty in 1994. From 2008-2020, he served as Dean of the Conservatory and for 13 years, also served as Chair of the Chamber Music Program. In 2007, he was awarded Longy’s George Seaman Award for Excellence in the Art of Teaching. In 2020, he was named Dean Emeritus.
Mr. Chin earned a Bachelor of Music degree with honors from the University of Hartford’s Hartt School and a Master of Music degree from Yale University. His principal teachers and mentors were Anne Koscielny, Donald Currier, Joan Panetti, and Raymond Hanson. He has served on the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and on the Music Program Faculty of the Winter Cycle at the Banff Centre. In recent years, Mr. Chin has performed recitals at Dickinson College, Rhode Island Chamber Music Concerts, the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City, and has given master classes in Taiwan (National Taichung University of Education; Soochow University); Hong Kong (Hong Kong Baptist University); the Philippines (University of Santo Tomas) and Canada (Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto.). He has been a contributing writer to Opera News and has served on the juries of the CS Music International Piano Competition in Guangzhou, China (2018) and the Boston International Piano Competition (2017, 2019).
Teaching Philosophy
My primary goal as a teacher is to foster in my students a connection between their spirit, their mind, and their imagination.
Together, we embark on a fascinating and often challenging journey, unlocking the mysteries of the hand and making the ear a discerning and crucial partner, all in the quest to turn sounds into stories, ideas, and poetry.
Nothing impels me more than to support my students in finding their voice.
And, nothing inspires me more than watching my students begin to take plunges into the unknown and seeing their artistry emerge and come into brilliant focus.