Musical America "Influencers" Include NEC Alumni

Mei-Ann Chen '95, violin, '98 M.M., orchestral conducting and violin, and Amit Peled '99 Dip., cello, have both shown outstanding talent in their fields. Currently the music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chen is one of America's most dynamic and greatly regarded young conductors. Peled is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed cellist and a highly revered professor at Peabody Conservatory.

For over 100 years, Musical America Worldwide has been the voice of the performing arts industry. The association provides the digital and print touch points for performing arts professionals to reach out to each other to further their art and their businesses. It provides the resources to help make smarter decisions—for presenters, managers and artists all over the world.

The Musical America “Professionals of the Year” list is derived from the association’s community and is defined as people who are making a difference in the music business—people about whom you could say, “When they speak, we listen.” Nominees are selected based on their creativity, dedication and by virtue of their professional positions. Hundreds of nomination forms were e-mailed to the Musical America “family,” which includes about 14,000 performing arts organizations and 24,000 musicians and professionals in more than 95 countries. The final decisions were based on nominators’ descriptions, the association’s own research, and in some cases personal interviews. Each person chosen, in his or her own way, has made and continues to make a vital impact on the performing arts. Read the full report.

About Mei-Ann Chen

Born in Taiwan, Mei-Ann Chen has lived in the United States since 1989. At New England Conservatory she received simultaneous master's degrees in violin and conducting. She later studied with Kenneth Kiesler at the University of Michigan, where she earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting. Chen has been presented with many honors, awards and posts, including the Helen M. Thompson Award from the League of American Orchestras, winner of the 2005 Malko Competition, and an ASCAP award for innovative programming. More about Mei-Ann Chen

Mei-Ann Chen's 2010 guest appearance conducting the NEC Philharmonia includes some of the most-played tracks at NEC's InstantEncore channel. Listen

About Amit Peled

Since 2012, Amit Peled shares with audiences around the world the sound of the historic cello of Pablo Casals. Marta Casals Istomin, Casals's widow, personally handed him the instrument, a Goffriler ca. 1733. As a continuing advocate for new music this season, Peled will be premiering a work written especially for him by Lera Auerbach, entitled La suite dels ocells. He will also be collaborating with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with a new music recital series created by composer Mason Bates, titled KC Jukebox. More about Amit Peled