Participant
Kenneth (KJ) McDonald
Violin
Accepted to the preliminary round of the 2026 Naumburg International Violin Competition.
Biography supplied for the 2026 competition.
KJ (Kenneth Joshua) McDonald began his musical journey listening to violin recordings of Itzhak Perlman alongside his father’s rock-and-roll albums. After an adventurous childhood in Southern California, he pursued formal studies in New York City, where he later worked with Perlman himself—a formative full-circle moment.
KJ studied at The Juilliard School with Perlman and Catherine Cho, earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as a full-scholarship Kovner Fellow. He continued his training at New England Conservatory, where he studied with Donald Weilerstein as a member of the Professional Piano Trio in Residence.
A dedicated chamber musician, KJ is the founding violinist of Trio Eris, with which he has received major competition recognition, including Second Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and finalist appearances at both the Young Concert Artists and Naumburg Competition. He has collaborated with distinguished artists including Vivian Weilerstein, Joseph Kalichstein, Kim Kashkashian, Paul Katz, and others.
Deeply influenced by both classical and contemporary traditions, KJ is an active advocate for new music. He has worked with leading composers such as Steve Reich, Thomas Adès, Kaija Saariaho, Tan Dun, Jörg Widmann, and John Adams.
He has performed at major venues including Royal Albert Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Jordan Hall. Recent highlights include his debut performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. He has participated in renowned festivals such as Lucerne Festival Academy, IMS Prussia Cove, Perlman Music Program, and Yellow Barn.
Pianists
2026 International Violin Competition
Andrew Jun Chen
, piano
Andrew Jun Chen is a pianist whose chamber-music experience includes Trio Eris and the Genesee Piano Trio. He received Eastman School of Music’s John Celentano Award for Excellence in Chamber Music in 2022 and has appeared at the Chautauqua Institution, the Perlman Music Program, and Kinhaven Music School’s Young Artist Seminar. He has also participated in the Olympic Chamber Music Fellowship and collaborated with musicians including Itzhak Perlman and Pei-Shan Lee.
Chen began piano lessons at eight with Frederick Kuok. He earned his bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Eastman, studying with Alexander Kobrin, and a master’s degree at New England Conservatory. His work with Trio Eris has been guided by Vivian Weilerstein and HaeSun Paik. His competition honors include prizes from the Bradshaw & Buono and Thousand Islands international piano competitions and NEC’s Marion Berman Piano Honors Competition. Alongside performing, he has taught at Brooklyn Musical Arts and through Chautauqua’s community lessons, as well as teaching piano to non-majors at NEC.
Shu Wen Tay
, piano
Singaporean pianist Shu Wen Tay performs as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, Singapore, and the United States. Her appearances include the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Rose Studio, and Boston’s Jordan Hall. She won first prize in the Open Category of the 2016 Asia Youth Piano Competition and has appeared at Yellow Barn, the Shandelee Music Festival, and Avaloch Farm Music Residency.
Her chamber-music partners have included Jennifer Frautschi, Colin Carr, Alasdair Beatson, and Lucy Shelton. Beyond the standard piano repertoire, she has performed with Singapore’s Red Dot Baroque and the Boston New Music Initiative. She also co-founded SPIRITUS, a chamber-music festival and concert series serving communities on Long Island.
Tay earned her bachelor’s degree at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and her master’s degree at New England Conservatory, continuing with doctoral studies at Stony Brook University. Her mentors include Gilbert Kalish, Seth Knopp, Vivian Weilerstein, and Albert Tiu.