Meet Yen-Nien Hsu | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yen-Nien Hsu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yen-Nien, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
This is a very natural process, sometimes I feel like fate has led me along the way.

When I was a child, I was interested in arts, music, dance, acting, painting, etc…

From a small habit I liked to do in my free time, and then became my career.

Along the way, I’ve encountered many challenges and most gave up during the path. But music and creation saved me every time, so this is the reason I keep pursuing it!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m currently working on the musical “Vincent” with my partner Gabi Ammirato, she is a libretto and I’m a composer and lyricist. After one year of rewriting, we’re going to present the reading concert at the Spark Festival this September. We have been working on this project for almost two years, and we put lots of effort and love into it.

“Vincent” follows a preteen named Vinnie who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD as he struggles in a school system not built for his success. Along the way, he finds confidence in his love for the arts and learns the importance of using his voice with the help of his imaginary friend Vincent Van Gogh. Accompanied by a pop-rock contemporary score, this is a journey of finding identity and self-acceptance that challenges others to look beyond the surface of everyone they meet.

Also, one of Vincent’s numbers “Things Will Be Okay!” was selected in the 2024 Write Out Loud Contest. We’re super excited to develop and push our project further!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d take my friends to see the Broadway show they’re interested in to share the magic of musicals. We’d start with dinner at Din Tai Fung which is a famous Taiwanese restaurant at Times Square, then enjoy the show, and end the night with drinks at Blue Note and enjoy more live music. It would be a perfect evening of theater, great food, and lasting memories.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
During this path, I’ve been supported by many people on different stages and I couldn’t be here without them.

The first person is my undergrad advisor, Sam Lee. He led me to the deeper writing world, and because of him, I decided to become a composer/writer. And all the writers and artists I’ve been working with! Gabi Ammirato, we’ve been working on the musical “Vincent” since 2022 and Lalit Sritara, we’ve been working on another musical “International Students” They helped me and supported me a lot when we were writing together! And also, my mentor Lily Ling from the MUSE mentorship program!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yennien_?igsh=MW85Z2ZsenBxcng4dA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006437691815&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@yen-nienhsu807?si=JZ6i69MX8yAbDRj5

Other: Vincent musical website
https://vinniethemusical.com/

Image Credits
Esther Zhou
Ryan Nava