Playing of luminosity and poise as you might expect from the musicians she has been privileged to work with. A musical pedigree that shone through all she played.But it was also the programme of three great composers that showed her integrity and refined musical taste before she even caressed the keys.

The Intermezzi op 117 are three of the most beautiful creations of Brahms that he himself described as ‘ three lullabies of my grief.’ The first ‘Andante moderato’ , whilst being played with great sensitivity seemed strangely too earthbound and not etherial enough due to the rather slow tempo, with playing in six instead of two.The second in B flat minor, on the other hand , was allowed to flow with refined beauty and delicacy unfolding with almost improvised fantasy. The last with its almost oriental feel to the opening motif was allowed to unwind with poignant beauty and subtle colouring transforming an intermezzo into a tone poem of ravishing beauty.

Anjulie brought a great architectural understanding to Chopin’s Fantasy In F minor, one of the longest and most important of his compositions. A continuous flow of playing of dynamic rhythmic drive and poetic intensity. There was a great clarity to her playing held tightly in reign but with just the right amount of freedom as she shaped the phrases with loving beauty. A technical mastery that passed almost unnoticed as the passionate intensity of her playing ignited the keyboard with sumptuous rich sounds.The central chorale was played with whispered beauty and poignancy before exploding into the passion and searing intensity of one of Chopin’s most beautiful outpourings.

An unusual clarity to the cadenza was played almost without pedal! Followed by vibrations of sound filling the keyboard with magic and taking us to the final imperious chords.

There was a dynamic drive to Schumann’s Carnaval Jest in a performance that was played with a classical simplicity with playing of great clarity and burning intensity. Lyrical passages were allowed to ride on this wave of sound without disturbing the continual forward movement . Even the Marseillaise was incorporated into this classical framework of poetic intelligence. A ‘Romanze’ of beauty and simplicity was followed by the impish good humour of the ‘Scherzo’.The ‘Intermezzo’ was played with passionate warmth and poetic intensity , streams of sound flowing from Anjulie’s hands with mastery and beauty. The ‘Finale’ again owed much to Anjulie classical approach which gave great strength to all she did. A great sense of freedom too as the melodic episodes were allowed to ride on this ever flowing wave of sound until the whispered intensity of a coda of exhilaration and excitement bursting into flames with the final majestic chords.

German pianist Anjulie Chen is regarded as one of the most promising young artists of her generation, praised for her “admirable musical sensitivity” and for playing of “subtlety, stylishness and warmth,” marked by “poise, elegance and expressive depth”. Highlights of her 2026 season include appearances at the Chiltern Arts Festival and the Schiermonnikoog Chamber Music Festival, alongside concerto performances with the Blaze Ensemble and the Bushey Symphony Orchestra. She also makes her Munich debut at the Irenensaal and collaborates with principal players of the Munich Radio Orchestra.

Recent achievements include representing the Royal Academy of Music at the Sheepdrove Music Competition and releasing her debut chamber album of works by Igor Stravinsky on Linn Records, in collaboration with Barbara Hannigan and the Juilliard School. She made her critically acclaimed debut at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan during the Beethoven Festival 2021, was a semi-finalist at the Birmingham International Piano Competition (2022), and won Third Prize at the Lagny-sur-Marne International Piano Competition (2019).

Especially drawn to Schubert and French repertoire, she has worked with artists including Anne Queffélec, Thomas Adès and Kirill Gerstein, and has been invited to festivals such as the International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove and the ArtenetrA Festival. A dedicated chamber musician, she is a member of the CHESA Duo with violist Xin He and member of the Polymnia Piano Quartet. A two-time DAAD scholar and 2024 Help Musicians Postgraduate Award holder, Anjulie studied in Munich with Prof. Thomas Böckheler before completing her degrees with first-class honours at the Royal Academy of Music under Prof. Colin Stone.