Mr. Thomas Chun-yu Chen came to United States in 1997 after 2 years of serving the Ministry of National Defense Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan where he was a resident composer, and member of the presidential string quartet that frequently performed in presidential concerts. Mr. Chen gave recitals and conduct music events through many different countries. He started CICA summer music festival in 2008 hoping to bring more enrichment into community in order to inspire young children and to help many families to provide music education to their children. He believes good quality education to the younger children is the main key to help our community and country to build the wonderful future. He is a violin performer, conductor, violin teacher (including the Suzuki method), and violinmaker. Mr. Chen received his performance diploma from Wa-Kan Art High School, BFA degree in violin performance from Fu-Jen Catholic University, MM degrees with long term Suzuki Pedagogy training from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and MA degree in music education from Lindenwood University. He is currently working on his DMA degree at the University of Memphis. Mr. Chen had also studied for many years with Mr. Eliot Chapo and Dr. Karen Clark at the Florida States University. He is currently teaching at University of Arkansas Suzuki Music School program, and also he is one of conductors at The Ozarks Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. A member of the VSA (Violin Making Society of America) and VMAAI (Violin Makers Association Arizona International, his instruments have won numerous awards at the VMAAI annual competitions in 2007 and 2008, including: “First Place Gold medal in String quartet making”, “3rd Place Cello tone and Overall”, "Second Place Overall in Large Viola Section", "Second Place Overall in Small Viola Section"and "Second Place Tone Award on both Large Viola and Small Viola Sections", and many other awards. Mr. Chen's violin making is virtuoso and professional. He has been working and researching violin making for years. He is always seeking better ways of making violins to help to advance violin education. Mr. Chen founded the CICA Violin Research in 1998 followed the path and legacy of his grandfather Mr. Chen Chan-suie who dedicate his life to promote good education and helped many families. He designed a series of special instrument (violins, violas, and cellos, Bass) in order to help his advanced teaching concepts. He combined violin making technology and ideas about sound into his violin teaching and performance. His designs advanced the vibration and structure of small and full-sized instruments by combining his "interactive vibration idea" and "multiple vibrate harmonic sounding". The combination created a clear tone that enabled young children to do advanced ear training on the violin. This method completely advanced the way of learning the violin. His double uneven oil varnish technology created a focus- rounded tone reaction on the pitches' progression, resulting in a clear and natural focused note-changing during the playing. The ideas and the results helped take his violin pedagogy to a higher level. Mr. Chen’s researches also includes a series of youth string orchestra practices, he developed special ways of string ensemble practice which combines Suzuki pedagogy, ear training, quality tone producing techniques, and ensemble techniques on bowing practice.