BSO Masterworks III

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
‍by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Allegro moderato—Moderato assai
Canzonetta. Andante
Finale. Allegro vivacissimo

‍Huifang Chen, violin

Festive Overture, Op. 96
‍by Dmitri Shostakovich

Romeo & Juliet Overture-Fantasy, TH 42, ČW 39
‍by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Huifang Chen
Violinist

A dynamic artist from Taiwan and long-time U.S. resident, Huifang Chen enjoys a diverse career as a violinist, educator and conductor. She has been the Music Director of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony since 2008, and has been the Concertmaster of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra since 2020. And In 2022, she was appointed Associate Conductor of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra. Since then, she has conducted numerous children’s concerts throughout South Florida, including Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Marathon, and Key West, plus multiple pops concerts at John Knox Village, Weston, and Bal Harbour Shops.

Ms. Chen was a member of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994 until its disbandment in 2003. She also has served as concertmaster for many orchestras including Ars Flores Orchestra, Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Orchestra Miami, Boca Symphonia amongst others. And in 2023, Ms. Chen was selected as the concertmaster for Andrea Bocelli’s orchestra.

As a violin soloist, Ms. Chen has appeared with orchestras around the world, including the Taipei Symphony Orchestra and New Taoyuan Philharmonic in her native country. She has soloed with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic, and with the Rochester Symphony, Macomb Symphony, Oakland-Pontiac Symphony and Warren Symphony in Michigan. Locally, she has soloed with the Alhambra Orchestra, Florida Youth Orchestra, Frost Symphony Orchestra (University of Miami), Greater Miami Youth Symphony, Miami Bach Society and Renaissance Chamber Orchestra among others, and most recently in 2024 withthe South Florida Symphony Orchestra performing Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy. She has also appeared multiple times as a soloist with the Dreyfoos Philharmonic Orchestra in Palm Beach performing Brahms, Mendelssohn, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos. Chen was featured as the soloist in the first virtual concert with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra during the pandemic in 2020 playing Mozart’s Turkish Violin Concerto. In addition, she has been an active chamber musician. Since 2021, she has been the key player for South Florida Symphony’s “Summer with the Symphony” chamber concert series.

Ms. Chen graduated from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music where her mentor was violin legend Jascha Brodsky (1907-1997). She was the winner of the 1999 Young Concert Artist award from the National Concert Hall of Taipei, Taiwan and also won the 2003 Concerto Competition at the University of Miami where she received a Master’s degree in 2005.

As a recording artist, Huifang has appeared on dozens of award-winning CDs for artists such as the Bee Gees, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Jon Secada, Shakira and Barbra Streisand. In 2012, she recorded Thomas Sleeper’s Violin Concerto with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic, released in 2014 on the Albany Label. Most recently, she was featured as a soloist in John Gottsch’s Princess Yurievskaya, featuring South Florida Symphony Orchestra, and released in 2021 on the Naxos Label.

As a committed violin pedagogue, many of Ms. Chen’s students are frequent winners at both local and international competitions. Many are now attending top music schools such as The Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard School and many others are now members of professional orchestras. Ms. Chen teaches violin at the New World School of the Arts in Miami and at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. During the summers, she performs and teaches at the Killington Music Festival in Vermont. In summer 2025, she will be guest conducting at the Sewanee Music Festival in Tennessee.

As a recording artist, Ms. Chen appears on dozens of award-winning recordings for artists such as Bee Gees, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Jon Secada and Barbra Streisand. In 2012, she recorded Thomas Sleeper’s Violin Concerto with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic and the CD of this recording was released in 2014 on the Albany Label. Additionally, she has performed the National Anthem on numerous occasions at Miami Dolphins football games.

Terence Kirchgessner
Conductor

A native of Rochester, New York, Terence Kirchgessner began his conducting studies
at the age of fifteen with Jeff Greene, a prominent wind conductor and award-winning
educator. He attended the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at
Potsdam where he conducted the wind ensemble, early music ensemble, string
orchestra, chamber orchestra and held the position of Assistant Conductor of the Crane
Symphony Orchestra.
‍
A versatile conductor, Kirchgessner's engagements have included a performance with
the rock band Dashboard Confessional, performances at the Muse Awards, conducting
singers from the Palm Beach Opera and Florida Grand Opera and yearly musical
theater productions with Jan McArt. He has also conducted ensembles at the Hartwick
and New York Summer Music Festivals as well as the Clarkson University Orchestra,
the Treasure Coast Symphony and the Symphonia of Boca Raton. For over a decade,
Terence was the Staff Conductor at Lynn Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, Florida
where he had the privilege of conducting the Lynn Philharmonia, Lynn Chamber
Orchestra and various other ensembles.
‍
Mr. Kirchgessner is currently the Music Director of the Broward Symphony, Artistic
Director of the Treasure Coast Symphony and Conductor of Orchestra Delray.
‍
Terence Kirchgessner holds a Bachelor of Music from the State University of New York
at Potsdam and a Master of Music from Lynn University. His primary conducting
mentors were Timothy Topolewski, Chris Lanz and Jon Robertson.

The Visual & Performing Arts Department acknowledges with gratitude the following:

Dr. Donald Astrab
‍Broward College Interim President

Dr. Jamonica Rolle
‍Acting Provost

Scott Miller
‍Dean of Arts, Humanities, & Design

Daniela Wancier
‍Associate Dean of Visual & Performing Arts

This is a live performance. Unlike television or the movies, the people on stage are there at that moment and are performing for the audience’s pleasure.

Please remember to silence all electronic devices and refrain from text messaging during the performance. Mobile devices may be used to read program notes during the performance.

· Please arrive early.
· Sit quietly and stay seated.
· No eating or drinking.
· No recording equipment.
· No flash photography.
· Applaud for the performers.
· Enjoy the performance!

If you are interested in the Visual & Performing Arts, please visit our website broward.edu/vpa or call us at 954-201-6843.