Lilin Chen, DM, NCTM, OMTA, MTNA
Teaching
Lilin gives individual weekly lessons coupled with some monthly classes in her home music studio in NW Portland. She holds a doctorate in piano pedagogy from America's top music school, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She also has been awarded the NCTM (Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano) and is an active member of the Oregon Music Teachers Association and the Oregon Federation of Music Clubs. People find her patient, kind, caring, methodical, knowledgeable, and inspiring.
 For Lilin, the main purpose of the lessons is to foster students’ natural love and enjoyment of music. Through learning music, students also become more resourceful, determined, persistent, patient, balance in left and right brains, giving, self-confident, focused, and responsible. Yes, really! Learning good piano technique and understanding the music create the ability in students to play and practice effortlessly and confidently. So that students make a good sound on the instrument and achieve facility, there is an emphasis on using wrists and good posture to achieve relaxed arms, hands, and shoulders.
 The monthly classes help students with sight-reading, ear-training, and music theory, as well playing in ensembles and for each other. Group recitals are held three times a year to help with motivation to practice, memorization, and confidence.
Performing
Lilin is also an active performer. She has given solo recitals in the United States and Taiwan. As a collaborative pianist, she has performed with singers and instrumentalists of all kinds. As well as her doctorate in piano pedagogy, she holds master's degrees in piano performance and piano accompanying. In Taiwan, she performed for several years with the Ars Nova Piano Trio (piano, violin, and cello). Last year she played Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto with the Tualatin Symphony Orchestra.