Amanda Chan

Amanda Chan has achieved recognition and critical acclaim in her career as pianist, teacher, lecturer, adjudicator and examiner. She has given concerts all over Canada, USA, China and Europe as a soloist and chamber player. Much in demand as a chamber musician, her collaborations have included projects with musicians such as Mark Steinberg, Curtis Stewart, Timothy Chooi, Adrian Fung, James Campbell and Measha Brueggergosman as well as musicians from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Opera. She appears regularly on local series such as Music in the Morning, VSO Chamber Players Series, Academy Chamber Players and Vancouver Chamber Music Society. As a member of the Koerner Piano Trio, their performances have included educational mandates with outreach initiatives. Her passion for tango jazz led to her becoming the pianist for Tango Paradiso, whose performances included invitations at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Their CD “Passion” achieved critical acclaim at its release and earned Favorite CD pick from CD Baby.

Early in her career, she garnered many top prizes at prestigious Canadian competitions such as the Canadian Music Competition, National Canadian Music Festival, Canadian National Bach Competition, CBC National Young Performers Competition, and Concours Orchestre Symphonie de Montreal. She received the gold medal for the Royal Conservatory of Music ARCT diploma and was also awarded full scholarships and major Canada Council Arts grants for her studies. Earning her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of British Columbia and her Master of Music degree at the University of Southern California, she received the top graduate awards at both institutions. She then continued on with doctoral and post-graduate studies at the University of Southern California and the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto. Her teachers have included John Perry, Marc Durand, Andre Laplante, Jon Kimura Parker, Karl-Heinz Kammerling, Robin Wood, Kum-Sing Lee and Edward Parker.

Equally passionate as an educator and mentor, her students have achieved much success, winning awards at national and international competitions, many continuing on to establish rewarding professional careers. She is regularly invited to adjudicate festivals, competitions and give masterclasses in Canada, China and Europe. She is Professor and Piano Division Chair at the Vancouver Academy of Music and serves on the faculty of the University of British Columbia, School of Music teaching piano and chamber music.