Latvian and Swedish Music Concert

Hui Chen, piano, Latvian kokle group led by Zinta Pone; Daniel Greco, baritone & Kate Mariana Brown, piano; Cheryl Paschke, nickelharpe. Co-sponsored by the Edvard Grieg Society of Minnesota.

Dr. Ariel Hui Chen is an internationally acclaimed Taiwanese pianist and founder of Lumiere Piano Academy, recognized for performances that unite expressive warmth, clarity, and precision. She performs as a soloist and collaborative artist across the United States and Asia. A prize-winning musician, she holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota and completed her master’s degree at Tainan National University of the Arts. Her recent appearances include the Minneapolis Bach Festival, a Bach Rising Star recital in Taiwan, and performances at the National Taichung Theater and Minnesota Orchestra Hall. Committed to both performance and education, Dr. Chen works extensively with vocalists, instrumentalists, and choirs, with a focus on expressive storytelling and cultural and sacred traditions.

Cheryl Paschke started playing nyckelharpa as an adult, having first encountered the instrument in Sweden at a Midsommar celebration.  She has studied locally and abroad and is an active performer in several Twin Cities-based folk music groups, including Tjärnblom, Swedish Trio, and Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag. She plays traditional music on a Swedish (3-row) nyckelharpa and classical music on a Continental (4-row) nyckelharpa.