Sean Chen

Sean Chen is a pianist appearing as soloist with several US orchestras in the 2026-2027 season, performing repertoire that ranges from an all-American program to Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto and Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3. Listeners can expect a season built around big, audience-favorite concertos paired with orchestral staples like Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 and Symphony No. 5.

Across these three appearances, expect a mix of grandeur and drive. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, nicknamed the "Emperor," opens with the soloist launching into cascading runs before the orchestra even states the main theme, a bold entrance that sets the tone for a work full of stately fanfares and songful slow-movement melody. Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 asks for something sharper: a spiky, rhythmic dialogue between piano and orchestra, with a theme-and-variations slow movement that swings between playful and biting. The all-American program in Plano suggests repertoire drawn from US composers, likely showcasing rhythmic vitality and melodic directness associated with that tradition. Listeners new to these works can listen for how the soloist balances technical display with the orchestra's own melodic lines, since all three programs pair piano concertos with substantial symphonic works by Beethoven.