Dr. Yi-Ping Chen wishes to make classical music relevant to all of the communities she connects with. Chen is the Music Director of Rockbridge Symphony in Lexington, VA. Her influences in Harrisonburg include teaching conducting at James Madison University, serving as executive director of JMU's Spring String Thing camp, and conducting the Shenandoah Valley Youth Orchestra. 

Passionate about providing equal access to classical music, Chen co-founded Caravanserai Music, a flexible chamber group that promotes compassion and community through performances. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she produced the Classical Connections video series to engage young audiences in classical music through interactive activites. She co-hosted online performances and dialogue with Shenandoah LGBTQ Center, on the topic of rejection and accceptance found in Schoenberg's Transfigured Night and the LGBTQ+ community. 

Chen holds a DMA degree in conducting from University of Minnesota and a Master's Degree in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University. When she is not making music, she enjoys going on long hikes in the Shenandoah Valley and traveling the world with her daughter, Amelia, and her husband, Foster.