The Conductor for the NRSO’s ” Memoirs” concert is Chen Yang, a well- known and respected personality in South East Queensland musical circles. Chen has been associated with the Queensland Youth Orchestra for several decades starting as a violinist in 1975 and later appointed concertmaster from 1978 to 1980, He toured with the orchestra in 1980 to Europe, including the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Aberdeen, Scotland. Chen studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and graduated with distinction in violin performance. Chen’s first professional engagement was as Concertmaster of the Queensland Theatre Orchestra (later renamed the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra. under the baton of Georg Tintner. In 1981 he joined the Queensland Symphony Orchestra as a member of the first violin section until 1989. He has continued to perform as a freelance musician, performing in show orchestras for many major musical productions. Chen is the leader and conductor of The Sinfonia of St Andrew’s orchestra and is also the string teacher at St Hilda’s School, Southport, and the leader of the Corda Spiritus Orchestra of Brisbane who have performed several concerts for 4MBS Music Festival in recent years. Chen also performs with the Badinerie Players of Brisbane, an ensemble which performs on period instruments. He is also a prolific arranger of string music for the Junior String Ensemble and was the conductor of QYO3 from 1983 to 1988. He is also a judge at Eisteddfods and competitions. The NRSO is delighted to welcome Chen to guide us through the rehearsals and performance of “Memoirs”