Chi-Chi Lin Bestmann MNYO (MacPhail North Youth Orchestra) Artistic Director & conductor. Viola/violin and orchestral conducting faculty in MacPhail’s Individual Instruction and School Partnerships programs since 2018. She holds over 25 years’ experience teaching upper strings, chamber music and conducting orchestras in various schools in New York.
Chi-Chi has always found humor to be the easiest way to convey her joy in sharing music. It is important to provide a safe environment which allows her students to trust and learn with ease. She encourages multi-sensory learning and cultivates parents’ understanding through frequent communication.
Originally from Taiwan, Ms. Bestmann moved to New York to pursue her violin studies in 1985. Her diverse career in NY included performing Mozart in Carnegie Hall, jamming with rapper Jay Z at Radio City Music Hall to conducting The Annual Westchester All-County Orchestra Festival. Her ability to straddle both roles of musician and conductor across different genres, has led her to venues including Saturday Night Live, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Broadway, performing with artists including Kurt Masur, John Rutter, Beyoncé, and Enya.
In addition to presenting recitals and collaborative concerts in the US, Europe and Asian, Ms. Bestmann is a devoted teacher. She was a faculty member at Mannes School of Music, Hoff-Barthelson Music School, Third Street Music School Settlement and Riverdale Country School. Her commitment to education inspired the creation of Petite Concerts Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers live-music experiences to young children through local venues with easy access in hopes of cultivating classical music audiences of the future.
Ms. Bestmann holds a Bachelor of Music in Orchestral Conducting, a Master of Music and a Professional Studies Diploma in Viola Performance, all from Mannes School of Music. Since arriving the Twin Cities area with her husband and two daughters, she can be found freelancing with many ensembles which includes the Minnesota Orchestra and the Minnesota Opera.
