Chen Su-Ti

Chen Su-Ti (April 14, 1911 – September 23, 1992) was a composer, pianist, pastor, and educator from Shilin, Taipei. His works combine the pentatonic scale with the chromatic scale of the European Romantic period. Some of his most important piano works were included in Maurice Hinson’s Guide to the Pianist’s Repertoire (1979) and were held in the same high regard as those Western masters like Beethoven and Chopin. Lu Chuan-Sheng praised him as “The Great Man.”
==Early life==
Chen Su-Ti was born on April 14, 1911, in Sanjiaopu, Taipei. His father, Chen Ying-Lin, was a cultivated talent (Hsiutsai) during the Qing Dynasty. In 1917, Chen Su-Ti was enrolled in Shezi Common School (an elementary school in Japanese Colonial Taiwan period). Later, he attended high school in Xiamen with his family, but he missed his homeland so much that he returned to Taiwan and enrolled in Tamsui Middle School in 1923. In 1924, he began studying piano and Western classical music under Margaret Mellis Gauld, also known as the “Mother of Church Music in Taiwan.” Chen then joined the Glee Club, the first male choir in Taiwan, which was established and led by Chen Ching-Chung, also known as the “Father of Rugby in Taiwan.” The choir had extensive experience in touring.
==Baptism and theological training==
In 1928, Chen Su-Ti completed his studies at Tamsui Middle School. Chen was baptized in the Dadaocheng Presbyterian Church by Pastor Zhang Jin-Bo in 1929. He enrolled in a four-year program at the Taipei Theological College and Seminary (now known as Taiwan Theological College and Seminary) in 1930 and studied piano under Canadian missionary Isabel Taylor. 
After graduating from the Seminary in 1934, Chen visited Japan and attended Japan Theological Seminary (later renamed Tokyo Union Theological Seminary) in April. He studied composition and harmony under Professor at Ueno Music School (later renamed Tokyo University of the Arts), and voice and conducting under . Chen also made friends with other music enthusiasts, including Jiang Wen-Ye.
During Chen Su-Ti studied in Japan, he attended some musical activities held by Taiwanese students, such as the “Hometown Visit Music Tour” proposed by Yang Chao-Chia at the first executive meeting of the Taiwan Association in Tokyo. Yang then became the leader and general organizer of the group. Kao Tien-Cheng served as the host for the program’s introduction, while Hsiao Tsai-Hsing acted as the concert’s emcee. Chen Su-Ti provided accompaniment, and other Taiwanese musicians, including Jiang Wen-Ye, Kao Tzu-Mei, Ke Ming-Chu, Gao Yue-Na, Lin Cheng-Mu, Lin Qiu-Jin, Lin Chin-Sheng, Weng Jung-Mao, and Li Chin-Tu, joined the event. The tour was conducted throughout the island. From August 11th to 19th, 1934, the “Hometown-visit Music Concert” was held in seven different cities, with the debut taking place in the auditorium of the Taipei Medical Professional School (later renamed National Taiwan University College of Medicine) under the administration of the Taiwan Soutokufu on the evening of August 11th. This large-scale music tour is the first fruitful achievement in promoting Western music in Taiwan.
In the serene backdrop of the Izu Peninsula in 1936, Chen Su-Ti crafted his pioneering piece, “The Lamb of God,” setting a milestone as Taiwan’s inaugural sacred choral masterpiece. Fast forward to 1942, the ethereal melodies of “The Lamb of God” echoed through the grandeur of the Taipei City Public Auditorium (now Zhongshan Hall). Under Chen Su-Ti’s meticulous baton, the Three-in-One Trinity Choir—an ensemble drawing talents from Shuanglian, Bangka, and Dadaocheng churches—delivered an evocative performance. That same year, the dulcet tones of Lu Chuan-Sheng graced the airwaves of Taiwan Hōsō Kyōkai (JFAK), accompanied by Chen’s adept playing. Barely a year later, the mesmerizing strains of “The Lamb of God” resonated again, this time within the sanctified walls of Taishō Church (now known as Zhongshan Christian Presbyterian Church). With Lu Chuan-Sheng leading as the solo vocalist, the performance captured the hearts of a predominantly Japanese audience, garnering resounding accolades.
In 1937, having completed his studies, Chen Su-Ti returned to Taiwan. Soon after, he tied the knot with Liu Tammui, the esteemed Pastor Liu A-Xiu’s second daughter. Subsequently, Chen committed himself as a missionary at the Shilin Presbyterian Church, a role he revered until 1946. Throughout this era, Chen’s dedication to music remained undiminished. In 1939, he penned the groundbreaking piano suite “Taiwan Sketches” in honor of his mentor, Miss Isabel Taylor, marking it the first of its kind in Taiwan. By 1946, he had graced the Taiwan Cultural Advancement Association with his expertise, serving on its music committee. The Ministry of Education also entrusted him with creating the “Taiwan Restoration Memorial Song.” Around 1939, Chen joined hands with Shilin’s luminaries, including Kuo Hsiu-Tsung, Tsao Yung-He, and Ho Pin to found the Shilin Association to foster cultural appreciation. However, the political tumult and prevailing climate of repression cast a shadow, leading to the association’s eventual disbandment. Anticipating the ominous winds of the 228 Incident, which took place in 1947, Chen relocated his family to the tranquil shores of Tamsui.
==Faith, education, and music career==
After moving to Tamsui, Chen Su-Ti taught in Chun-deh Girls’ High School and then became the principal in 1952. Since 1956, he had served for 25 years as the principal of Tamkang Senior High School, formed by the merger of Chun-deh Girls’ High School and Tamsui Middle School. In 1967, he was appointed as a special pastor during his tenure as principal at Tamkang Senior High School.
Chen Su-Ti kept his music career during his time in Tamsui. For example, he studied composition for a year under Professor Oskar Morawetz at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada in 1957. A year later, he was commissioned by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Headquarter to compose psalms with Isabel Taylor and other church musicians. The following years, Chen completed his piano works, “Etude in D-flat Major,” “Dragon Dance,” “Deep Valley–Amis Rhapsody,” “Ten Preludes─Playful Keyboard,” and piano trio “Divertimento,” and chorus “For God so Loved the World,” “Praise the Lord for His Great Blessings,” and “The Centennial Hymn for the Christian Mission in Taiwan.”
==Retirement and Death==
On January 23, 1981, Chen Su-Ti retired from Tamkang Senior High School and moved to the United States. In 1990, Chen Su-Ti founded the “Orange County Christian Fellowship” in Anaheim, California. Chen Su-Ti died on September 23, 1992 and was buried in Orange County, California on September 27.
Category:1911 births
Category:People from Taipei
Category:Composers
Category:Pianists
Category:Pastors
Category:Educators