Felix Chen

Who is Felix Chen?

Felix Chiu-sen Chen is a Taiwanese conductor. He was resident conductor and Music Director of the Taipei Symphony Orchestra from 1986 until he resigned in 2003 under "extremely controversial circumstances."

Chen began his musical career by studying violin. He was the first prize winner in Taiwan's provincial violin competition in 1959. Later he studied in the Munich Conservetory in Germany. He returned to Taiwan in 1969 and played violin in several orchestras. In 1971, he moved to Austria to study conducting, returning again to Taiwan in 1973 to work for the Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra. He later moved to the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, which he led for 17 years. During his service for the TSO, Chen was not only praised for his orchestral conducting, but he was also a noted opera conductor. Every year Chen and TSO produced one or two operas, such as Aida, Otello or Turandot, which were major musical events in Taiwan.

However, in September 2003, Chen was involved in a forgery scandal and was accused of corruption. As a result, the Department of Culture Affairs of the Taipei City Government decided to relieve him of his post. Chen eventually chose to retire, and some people believed he was forced to do so.