Southwestern Adventist University
Dr. William Chien is a soloist, chamber musician, author and educator. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He holds the degree of Doctor of Music from the University of North Texas, major in saxophone performance and related field in jazz study. He also holds a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from Boston Conservatory. Dr. Chien has served as a committee member and judge for jazz competition in the First Asian Saxophone Congress. Currently Dr. Chien is teaching in Southwestern Adventist University at Keene, Texas. He is the director of the SWAU saxophone ensemble, and teach undergraduate students both classical and jazz saxophone lessons.
As a performer, Dr. Chien has premiered new composition and performed at several World Saxophone Congresses at Croatia (2018), Strasbourg (2015) and Scotland (2012), as well as at North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conferences (2014 at Illinois and 2010 at Georgia), Taiwan National Recital Concert Hall in Taipei (2018, 2013), Texas Denton Jazz Festival (2010, 2011), and Navy International Saxophone Symposium in Virginia (2011). In 2019, He was featured as a soloist and performed in Southwestern Music Festival at Dallas Meyerson Symphony Hall. In 2016, Dr. Chien performed Claude Smith’s Fantasia with the Kaohsiung Citizens Band.
Dr. Chien won the first prize in Taiwan national saxophone competition. As a winner, he was invited to perform Jacques Ibert ’s concertino in Chiayi city International Band Festival. Dr. Chien is also active on jazz performance. He was invited to perform at several international jazz festivals such as Taichung Jazz Festival, Texas Denton Jazz Festival and Malaysia KK Jazz Festival. Dr. Chien is the active member of the WWCP (World-Wide Concurrent Premieres & Commissioning Fund). He has been commissioned and premiered the music by composers such as Shih-Hui Chen, John Harbison, John McDonald, Che-Yi Lee, John Plant, Anselm Schaufler and Ya- Ming Tsu.
Dr. Chien has previously served on the faculty as Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Taiwan National Tainan University, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taipei Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei Christ’s College, Kuang Jen High School and Taipei Hwa Kang Art School. He has been awarded the position of Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas from 2010-2013. Dr. Chien is the author of “Saxophone Learning for Novices” and “Saxophone Altissimo”, published by Mercury Publishing House. He has released a saxophone-guitar duet recording “Formosa Fantasy” with Austrian guitarist Stefan Skrilecz.
In 2017, Dr. Chien started a tutorial YOUTUBE channel and released dozen videos about saxophone technique and jazz improvisation. Since this channel is one of the earliest platform for Chinese-speaking audience, it became popular in countries such as China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Taiwan. In less than two years, it already received more than 550,000 views.
For more information, please visit www.williamchien.com.
williamchien.saxophone@gmail.com