A native of Taiwan, Dr. Yu-Fang Chen is the Assistant Professor of Music – Violin at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. She received her Doctoral of Musical Arts degrees on both violin and viola from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2013. As a sought-after performer and pedagogy, Dr. Chen has been invited to teach and perform at various music festivals, including the Sunflower Music Festival and the Heartland Chamber Music Academy in U.S.A. and the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy.
Dr. Chen has won numerous awards and competitions and her career as a performing artist is extensive. Her international performing career has taken her to Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, South Africa, Estonia, Germany, Finland, France, Italy and the United States, and she continues to perform as a guest musician internationally with various concert artists, chamber ensembles, and orchestras. Her engagements as concerto soloist include works by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Walton, and Tchaikovsky and performances with Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Washburn Symphonic and String Orchestra, and the Philharmonia of Kansas City, etc.
Dr. Chen served as an Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, from 2015-2017. Additionally, She was a member of the Kansas City Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of Taiwan. She has worked with renowned soloists and conductors, such as Pinchas Zukerman, Yefim Bronfman, Christoph von Dohnanyi, and Seiji Ozawa, just to name a few.
In this season, Dr. Chen will be the featured artist for the Electronic Music Midwest Festival, The Clear Lake Chamber Ensemble, the Ball State University Festival of New Music, etc. As an enthusiastic performer of contemporary music, she has commissioned and premiered many compositions by living composers. Her recording of Dr. Chin Ting Chan’s Shape of Wind for solo violin was published by the ABLAZE Records Millennial Masters vol. 7 (2017).
Dr. Chen has won numerous awards and competitions and her career as a performing artist is extensive. Her international performing career has taken her to Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, South Africa, Estonia, Germany, Finland, France, Italy and the United States, and she continues to perform as a guest musician internationally with various concert artists, chamber ensembles, and orchestras. Her engagements as concerto soloist include works by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Walton, and Tchaikovsky and performances with Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Washburn Symphonic and String Orchestra, and the Philharmonia of Kansas City, etc.
Dr. Chen served as an Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, from 2015-2017. Additionally, She was a member of the Kansas City Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of Taiwan. She has worked with renowned soloists and conductors, such as Pinchas Zukerman, Yefim Bronfman, Christoph von Dohnanyi, and Seiji Ozawa, just to name a few.
In this season, Dr. Chen will be the featured artist for the Electronic Music Midwest Festival, The Clear Lake Chamber Ensemble, the Ball State University Festival of New Music, etc. As an enthusiastic performer of contemporary music, she has commissioned and premiered many compositions by living composers. Her recording of Dr. Chin Ting Chan’s Shape of Wind for solo violin was published by the ABLAZE Records Millennial Masters vol. 7 (2017).
Dr. Hyerim J. Mapp is an energetic orchestral musician as well as recital soloist, chamber music player, and teacher. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in cello performance from the University of Kansas. Prior to her study at KU, she studied and taught music in her native Korea at Sejong University, where she was a concerto competition winner.
Currently, she is a lecturer of cello and bass at Pittsburg State University. She serves as principal cellist of the Kansas City Civic and Kinnor Philharmonic, Southeast Kansas Orchestras. She also plays in the Saint Joseph Symphony, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestras, and frequently plays with the Kansas City Symphony and Omaha Symphony. She has also performed with the Kansas City Cello Quartet, the Des Moines Symphony, Topeka Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Lawrence Community Orchestra, and as principal cellist for Sioux City Symphony and the Neue Eutiner Festspiele in Eutin, Germany.
As a soloist, she has performed with the Southeast Kansas Orchestra, Medical Arts Symphony, the Kansas City Civic Orchestra and was one of three local cellists selected to perform for the world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City.
Before joining the faculty at Pittsburg State University she served as adjunct professor of cello at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Sejong University and a Master of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Kansas.
She currently resides in Lawrence, Kansas with her husband, Dr. Michael W. Mapp and their little dog, Karma.
Currently, she is a lecturer of cello and bass at Pittsburg State University. She serves as principal cellist of the Kansas City Civic and Kinnor Philharmonic, Southeast Kansas Orchestras. She also plays in the Saint Joseph Symphony, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestras, and frequently plays with the Kansas City Symphony and Omaha Symphony. She has also performed with the Kansas City Cello Quartet, the Des Moines Symphony, Topeka Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Lawrence Community Orchestra, and as principal cellist for Sioux City Symphony and the Neue Eutiner Festspiele in Eutin, Germany.
As a soloist, she has performed with the Southeast Kansas Orchestra, Medical Arts Symphony, the Kansas City Civic Orchestra and was one of three local cellists selected to perform for the world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City.
Before joining the faculty at Pittsburg State University she served as adjunct professor of cello at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Sejong University and a Master of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Kansas.
She currently resides in Lawrence, Kansas with her husband, Dr. Michael W. Mapp and their little dog, Karma.
Pianist Soojin Jin is an international sensation being hailed for her sensitive touch, technical command, and astounding versatility. Her performances have generated proclamations that “In this current world of anonymous playing, she will be a pianist the people will REMEMBER!”
Dr. Jin's performances as an acclaimed soloist have spanned many major venues throughout the world, including those in Korea, Germany, Czech Republic, and Italy. She has appeared as soloist with the University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashdod Symphony Orchestra, and University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra. Recent concerts include Carnegie Hall, Kauffman Center, Lied Center, and Basilica di San Pietro in Italy.
Dr. Jin holds a Doctor of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Kansas. During her doctoral studies, she held a Teaching Assistant position in the Piano Department and was the director/faculty in the University of Kansas Community Music School. She earned her Master of Music at Indiana University, while serving on the faculty as an assistant instructor at the Young Pianists Institute, a pre-college piano program at Indiana University. She received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan.
Recently, She served as Assistant Visiting Professor at the University of Kansas, teaching graduate and undergraduate piano lessons. She is currently the artistic director/faculty at the Piano Academy of Kansas City.
Dr. Jin's performances as an acclaimed soloist have spanned many major venues throughout the world, including those in Korea, Germany, Czech Republic, and Italy. She has appeared as soloist with the University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashdod Symphony Orchestra, and University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra. Recent concerts include Carnegie Hall, Kauffman Center, Lied Center, and Basilica di San Pietro in Italy.
Dr. Jin holds a Doctor of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Kansas. During her doctoral studies, she held a Teaching Assistant position in the Piano Department and was the director/faculty in the University of Kansas Community Music School. She earned her Master of Music at Indiana University, while serving on the faculty as an assistant instructor at the Young Pianists Institute, a pre-college piano program at Indiana University. She received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan.
Recently, She served as Assistant Visiting Professor at the University of Kansas, teaching graduate and undergraduate piano lessons. She is currently the artistic director/faculty at the Piano Academy of Kansas City.