Biography

  Described as “poised” and “elegant” by WholeNote magazine, Melody Chan, is a vibrant and versatile artist who engages in numerous musical projects throughout Canada and abroad. A seasoned recital soloist, she has been featured on numerous different platforms, and strives to curate thought-provocative programs which dynamically engage with modern audiences.  Melody is a recipient for both the Canada Council for the Arts as well as the FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) grant organizations.  Her debut album, Children’s Corner, has been warmly received by audiences and critics alike.  WholeNote magazine positively reviewed her work, noting that “[Chan] easily handles the technical requirements of this deceptively challenging work…[her] playing is sensitively articulated, with just the right amount of tempo rubato.”  

        This past season, Melody completed a successful recital tour throughout Toronto with VSO violinist, Alvin Tran. She was an artist-in-resident at the Music by the Sea Festival in Victoria, B.C. during the summer of 2023.  Remaining active during the pandemic, Melody was featured as a soloist in Orchestra Toronto’s virtual concert series celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday.  She has also performed multiple summers in concerts at the International Music Festival in Casalmaggiore, Italy.  Other highlights from her musical collaborations include being named a laureate at the International Northwest Piano Ensemble Competition (together with fellow pianist Matthew Ming Li).  Making an impression internationally, Melody’s highly praised live performance of Denis Gougeon’s Piano-Soleil, was broadcasted on RCF Radio in France.  

Melody was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Vancouver.  She studied with her father throughout her formative years until her undergraduate schooling, where she attended the University of British Columbia.  She later moved on to complete both her Masters and Doctoral degrees on a fully funded fellowship at the University of Toronto.  During her time as a student, she was selected to play for Angela Hewitt in a public masterclass.  Other scholarships have led to her participation in numerous summer music festivals (such as the Toronto Summer Music Festival and at the Centre d’arts Orford), where she had the honour of working with renowned teachers Jacques Rouvière, Jean Saulnier, Maneli Pirzadeh, Richard Raymond, Marietta Orlov, James Parker and Lee Kum Sing.  She credits her most influential teacher to be Professor Lee Kum Sing, during her artist diploma studies at the Vancouver Academy of Music. 

        Ever expanding her skills and curiosity, Melody is also a burgeoning harpsichordist and takes a great interest in early music.  She has performed as an orchestral harpsichordist alongside members of the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.  The inaugural Denman Island Baroque Music Festival invited Melody to act as their resident harpsichordist in their performance of Dido and Aenaes, and later in Monteverdi’s Orfeo for their subsequent edition.

        Apart from her performance engagements, Melody greatly enjoys stepping into different musical roles as a collaborative pianist, music instructor and adjudicator. She has served as a collaborative pianist for the Vancouver International Music Competition, the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festival and British Columbia Conservatory Music Festival.  Several of her students have received distinction results in their RCM exams, and some have even been awarded with the honour of performing at Carnegie Hall, New York.  She has also been invited as a guest lecturer at Trinity Western University.  Beyond teaching, Melody has served as an adjudicator at the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association Scholarship competition.  For the 2024 season, Dr. Chan was appointed as a collaborative pianist with the Gloria dei Chorale ensemble, and looks forward to many more thrilling musical experiences to come.