Vera Hui-pin Hsu

Vera Hui-pin Hsu Conductor/Pianist

In 2008, Vera Hui-pin Hsu serves as Chorus Master at Chelsea Opera. During 2001–2005, Ms. Hsu was the music director of Chi-Yen Symphony Orchestra, Shin-Lin Chamber Orchestra, Da-Guan Youth Orchestra, Nan-Ping Youth Orchestra, and Shih-Pie Youth Orchestra, as well as the principal conductor of two other youth orchestras. In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, she was invited to be the principal conductor in Kinmen Winter Music Festival. From 2001 to 2003, she served as an assistant conductor in the Orchestra of Taipei National University of Arts where she got her M.A. degree in orchestra conducting. Her master thesis deals with conducting technique analysis of the fourth movement in Brahms Symphony No.1.

In 2003, Ms. Hsu was honored to be the only active participant in Maestro Seiji Ozawa’s master class in Taiwan and was highly acclaimed by Maestro Ozawa. After moving to U.S. in 2005, Ms. Hsu continued her conducting study with John Farrer, Daniel Lewis, Donald Thulean, Harold Farberman, Raymond Harvey, Lawrence Golan, Adrian Gnam, Gregory Pritchard, Kirk Trevor, and Neil Thompson in several workshops. Ms. Hsu is chosen as a runner-up in 2008 International Conductors’ Workshop.

Ms. Hsu is also a pianist. A finalist in both Taiwan Concerto Competition and Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra Piano Competition, she is currently a doctoral (D.M.A.) candidate in piano performance at Graduate Center, CUNY (City University of New York), under the tutelage of Prof. Martin Canin of the Julliard School. In 2006, she gave her first piano recital in the U.S. at Elabesh Recital Hall. She also performed in several chamber music concerts in Elabesh Hall, Levenson Recital Hall, and LeFrak Concert Hall. In 2007, she was invited to perform in the opening chamber concert held at Taipei Economic and Culture Center in New York.

Ms. Hsu was born in Taipei, Taiwan and began musical studies on the piano at the age of five and on the violin at six. She was a prize-winner in a number of solo piano competitions in Taiwan. She received the highest grade to enter Taipei National University of Arts where she obtained a B.A. degree in piano performance. As an undergraduate, Ms. Hsu gave many recitals, and was an active accompanist and chamber musician. She also participated in several master classes in piano performance and orchestra conducting.

Ms. Hsu has been supported by a three-year Taiwan Government Scholarship (2005–2008) and University Fellowship from CUNY (2006–2007) for her piano studies. She now lives with her husband in New York City.