We are announcing with a heavy heart the passing of our beloved Clare Chen, founder and chairperson of the CJCHT Group, the Kehua Cultural Foundation, Vocal Asia, and the Shanghai A Cappella Center. She passed away peacefully on May 17, 2022, at the age of 70 surrounded by her caring and loving family.
Being among Taiwan’s leading entrepreneurs, she was able to extend and spread her work and passion throughout the world. She founded the CJCHT Group shoe company in 1980 whilst simultaneously carrying on her two major passions: leprosy service and choral / a cappella music. She always dedicated herself wholeheartedly to both her work and her passions generating tremendous positive outcomes for and within the communities.
Clare started promoting a cappella music in Taiwan in the year 2000 creating platforms for Asian a cappella musicians, amateurs and fans. This eventually resulted in “Vocal Asia” in 2010.
Since then, every year, the Vocal Asia Festival has been able to gather people from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Macau, China, Singapore, Malaysia, India, as well as Europe and the USA. At the same time Clare Chen facilitated the creation of the world famous VoiceJam Festival in the US, as well as the alliance with the Aarhus Vocal Festival in Denmark. Her contribution to bringing vocal music from all corners of the world to these places of mutual exchange and learning is immense.
She founded the Kehua Foundation in 2017 with a group of friends and music lovers, pursuing the promotion of vocal music and education in Taiwan. In 2019, she brought the Vocal Asia Festival to Japan by collaborating with the government of Kagawa and the Setouchi Triennale, thus creating a whole new experience for a cappella music. In the meantime, she continued to actively support many choirs’ activities, including Fengyou Chorus, the Taipei Male Choir, Vox Nativa, and the Poznan Boys’ Choir.
Clare Chen’s dedication to vocal music has influenced many generations of singers around the world. Her passion, love, as well as her faith, were the driving force in order to create a more harmonious society, in which people are connected through the magic of the human voice.
Clare is now resting in peace with the Lord. We shall carry on her love for music and continue to sing out, remembering her in our hearts.
Clare’s funeral mass will take place on June 4, 2022 at 9:30 (Taiwan time) including a live stream broadcasted for her friends around the world.
CJCHT Group
Vocal Asia
Kehua Cultural Foundation
Shanghai A Cappella Center
