Dagang Chen
About
I started my violin lesson at age 5 and I was so fortunate because my violin teacher lived just next door so he was constantly monitoring my practice whenever he’s home, and I had lessons almost every other day!
I made my first public solo performance at age 8 in Shanghai, China and I began to teach my own violin student at age 14. I became the youngest member of the 1st violin section of the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra at age 17.
Teaching Style
I became the founding music director & conductor of The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra (1993 – 2009) in Texas, where I started many educational concert programs to attract thousands of local students and answer their call for music education.
I studied orchestral conducting with the legendary Viennese opera conductor Dr. Georg Tintner (1997-1999), who taught me a great deal of score analysis and traditional standards. He shared with me many ideas about the conducting styles of the old masters including his teacher, Felix Weingartner. I was named as an "Academy Conductor" in the inaugural season of the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen, U.S. (2000)
Fredell Lack, my violin teacher, who brought me to U.S. from China and is a great example of how to reach out to and care for students and I was so lucky to have met her in my life.
I have earned both Master of Music – performance & pedagogy (1995), and Master of Architecture (2006)
Curriculum
Why do I use “Practical Violin Method” by C. H. Hohmann for my beginner violin students.
It’s traditional way of violin study book that is fun, steady, and thorough. Mr. Hohmann put a lot of thought into this book focusing on one thing: building the foundation.
After students have established their solid foundation, they can advance whatever the new direction they prefer in violin performance.