Exclusive: Aspen drops Chicago concertmaster and wife
NewsWe understand that Laura Chen and her husband Robert have been removed from the Aspen Music Festival and School faculty after a number of parental complaints about comments made to students.
Robert Chen is concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is presently on sick leave.
Laura Chen is former assistant concertmaster at the Boston Symphony. They are major-league players in the US.
We have run the information about their dismissal past the Aspen authorities. They confirm to slippedisc.com that the Chens ‘won’t be joining us summer 2025’.
Robert Chen bullied me (and many others) in AACA years ago. Can’t say I’m surprised to read this.
I had bad experiences as well when I was at school with him. Colleagues have as well, so this is no surprise. I will not go into details as he seems to have enough problems.
I am an alumnus of the conducting program at Aspen and worked with both Robert and LPC during my time there. They could be tough teachers but they were also unbelievably good at what they do.
At one point, I desperately needed a bow rehair and I mentioned this to Laura to ask if she knew how long the wait would be to get in with the only luthier in town. She responded by saying “Robert and I can take it to her for you. She’ll get it done more quickly if it comes from us.”Robert brought it back to me the next day. I was a 21 year old student, nobody they needed to go out of their way for. This compassionate gesture wasn’t lost on me.
The world is not a nice place. The profession is not nice. It’s cut throat, people use and abuse power, and many people aren’t nice to you unless they have to be. I’m sorry if a few snowflakes couldn’t deal with a bit of “tough love” from one of the best violin couples in the world. Aspen will be worse off without them.
Mr. Chen won’t sugar coat how things are. It is probably tough for students to hear certain realities, but if you want to make it to the top in this business, you gotta grow thick skin. Don’t know the details but they will miss one of the best concertmasters in the business.
Fabio Bidini was also fired.
Two summers ago.
I would like to remind everyone that Robert’s daughter (violist) was fired from the CSO last year for cause, even while still on probation for tenure. She lied about asking for sick leave so she could go play a gig with her dad, then was dumb enough to post pictures from said gig on social media. This is the level. If Muti weren’t there he would’ve been gone a long time ago. He basically got his own daughter fired. Re teaching no one takes him seriously, and good for Aspen.
Worked with them both several times at Aspen and you cannot deny they are tough and have high expectations. It is even true that each year there is often 1 student who requests to be moved to a different orchestra because of the intensity.
But I would never call it “bullying”. They are incredible teachers and when they see you working hard to improve they really will work with you and be excited about your progress. They care about sending students into this tough industry prepared.
Very nice people in my experience and I’m sorry to see that this has occured