” she delights in the delicate sonorities of music boxes and everyday objects, weaving them into strikingly original works of engaging lightness and transparency.(…)Chen is a master of the art of play– serious, serious play.”–Washington Post
Resonant Echoes (2021) for viola, music box and field recordings
Pianofall (2020) for solo piano
Pulse (2020) for pianos
Sound of Trees (2019) for field recordings and eco-instruments
Sumitones (2019) for solo piano (written for Jacob Greenberg)
Roots of Interior (2019) for flute and heartbeat (for Claire Chase‘s Density vi project)
Phantom Fingerings (2015/2018) for Piano Lodeon and video (in collaboration with Rob Dietz)
Organ Pulses (2018) for organ and french horn (from In Plain Air)
Field Gaze (2018) for organ and toy horns (from In Plain Air)
Floating Verses (2018) suspended mechanical music box-birdhouses installation ( from In Plain Air)
From High Windows (2018) for organ and hand-cranked music box (from In Plain Air)
When Breath Becomes Air (2018) for bassoon, clarinet, percussion and fabricated wooden pipe whistles (from In Plain Air)
Star Medicine Lovers (2017) for speaker, saxoflute, prepared autoharp and toy dulcimer
The Matter Within(2016) for deconstructing toy piano, string quartet
Instructions for Play (2016) for sound box and performer(s)
Curios (2015) for toy pianos, toy instruments, masks and video
Columba (2015) for solo piano and shadow box
Lighting The Dark (2014) for toy pianos, clavichord, accordion, handmade music boxes and electronics
Lullabies (2014) for string orchestra, toy piano and music box
Archipelago (2013) for two toy pianos and mandolin
Everything Turns, Everything Revolves (2013) for toy piano, violin, clarinet and toys
Mobius (2013) co-composed with Rob Dietz
for toy two music boxes and electronics
Childhood Is A Curious Country (2012) for 2 toy pianos, gong piano, hacked toy piano
The Slumber Thief (2012) for toy piano, miniature theater and found objects
Song for Syrinx (2012) for women’s choir, bells, music box and cello
Hush (2011) for prepared piano, music boxes and bowls
Chimers (2011) for toy piano, toy glockenspiel, clarinet, violin and tuning forks
Glass Clouds We Have Known (2011)for toy piano, bowls, bass clarinet, flute, electronics and video
Beneath A Trace of Vapor (2011) for amplified flute, effects and tape
Aluminum Lake 40 (2010) for electric cello and tape
for Katinka Kleijn
premiered October 16 2010 for the Chicago Humanities Festival
Colure (2010)
for toy piano and bowls
Munin Raven (2010)
for live-electronics and music box
Down The Rabbit-Hole (2010-11)
for toy piano, hacked antique toy piano, live video, live-electronics, tea set and found objects
Cobwebbed Carousel (2010)
for toy piano, hand-cranked music box and video
Stardust (2010)
for toy piano, electric cello, music box, effects and live video
Carousel (2009)
for toy piano, live hand-cranked music box and video
Double Helix (2009)
for toy piano and bowls
Speckled Umbrella (2009)
for solo toy piano piece, dedicated to my niece and nephew
Chroma (2008)
for toy piano, audio cassette tape web, VHS dress and cocoon, 3 overlapping video projections, shadows, broken cassette player, live video mixer, electronic music/sampler
The Memoirist (2007)
Pearlessence (2008)
for toy piano, sampling keyboard, video, bubbles
Waltz Astoria (2008)
for two toy pianos, one performer