Xingyi Betty Chen (Sing-yat 陳星逸), a pianist, composer, and interdisciplinary artist from Hong Kong, integrates music, literature, visual arts, and science to explore spiritual-philosophical ideas and provide solace through her work. Her compositions draw upon the dual influences of Eastern and Western cultures, shaped by her upbringing and life experiences. Blending the sounds of city and nature, past and present, she believes music reflects humanity and the world across space and time.


Betty’s interdisciplinary approach incorporates spatialization, movements, and cognitive science, with an expanding focus on electronics and improvisation to create immersive experiences. Actively promoting contemporary music as a performer and composer, she has collaborated with renowned artists and ensembles such as Ensemble Modern, Kinetic Ensemble, Romer Quartet, cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, and sound artist Vica Pacheco.


Her compositions have been performed on historic instruments, including the 1746 Hildebrandt-Orgel in St. Wenzel, where J.S. Bach once played. Praised by Neue Musik Zeitung as “impressively reflective of an inner struggle,” her works have been broadcast on Belgian Internet Radio Organroxx and RTHK Radio 4. She is the recipient of the Howard Hanson Orchestral Prize, Bernard Rogers Memorial Prize, and Hong Kong New Generation Prize.


As a pianist, Betty is passionate about performing contemporary music in solo, chamber, and large ensemble settings. She has performed with OSSIA New Music, Musica Nova, EARS (Eastman Audio Research Studio), Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra, and Shepherd School Contemporary Ensemble. A former fellow at the Bang on a Can Music Festival, she performed with the BoaC All Stars and worked with composers such as Kevin Puts, Joan Tower, David Sanford, and Adrian Knight, premiering their works.


Betty is an alumna of Interlochen Arts Academy, holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Piano Performance and Composition from Eastman School of Music as a member of Pi Kappa Lambda society, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Composition at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.