Teen fronts Russian orchestra on debut CD EBHS sophomore will perform Saturday at Lincoln Center BY MARY ANN ROSS Correspondent Anita Chen EAST BRUNSWICK - Most teenagers have a favorite CD. Fifteen-year-old Anita Chen has made her own. And it was not created on her home computer or even produced in a local studio. Anita traveled all the way to Moscow to record with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra. Titled "Anita Chen - Piano and Violin," the album features Anita performing with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra on Edvard Grieg's "Piano Concerto in A Minor," Jules Conus' "Concerto for Violin in E Minor" and Albert Markov's "Formosa" suite. Anita, a sophomore at East Brunswick High School, recorded the piano portion of the CD when she was 14. "My teacher gave me a piece to study, and eventually told me I was at the level where it could be recorded. I was really surprised," she said. Her teacher at the Juilliard School of Music is Oxana Yablonskaya, an internationally known concert pianist. Her son, Dmitry Yablonsky, is the conductor for the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra. Oxana recommended that Anita play with the orchestra. "She is a very gifted student," Oxana said. "What makes her so unique is that she plays the violin equally well. She is also a very sweet girl. I am sure she is going to have a wonderful career in music." Her violin teacher, Albert Markov, also praised Anita's talent. "It is very rare for someone to have that level of mastery on two instruments," he said. "She is able to play pieces that are very challenging." Markov is not only a concert violinist but a major composer who has performed internationally and whose compositions are recorded commercially. He was especially pleased that Anita recorded one of his own compositions, "Formosa," for her CD. "It was inspired by the Chinese folk melodies I heard when I was a guest in Hong Kong and Taiwan" he explained. Anita and her father, Steven, flew to Russia twice to make the album. She recorded the violin piece first, then went back almost a year later to do the piano portion. "I could only be there for a few days, so I really didn't get to see much of Moscow" Anita said. "Everyone was very nice, but it was a lot of work. We had to keep recording the same piece over and over again until it was just right." Anita grew up in a musical family. Her father was a Chinese music major in Taiwan and has played with the popular Irish band the Chieftains. When she was 4, Anita saw her mother teaching her older brother how to play piano and asked to be taught as well. About two years later, she began studying the violin. She showed great talent with both instruments, and eventually was accepted at the Juilliard School of Music. She intends to become a professional musician. "I don't want to be tied down to one orchestra. I'd like to play with different orchestras all over the country and all over the world," she said. The public will have the opportunity to hear Anita perform with her instructor Oxana Yablonskaya on Saturday in New York City. Her piano and violin recital will be held in the Paul Recital Hall of the Juilliard School of Music at Lincoln Center at 5 p.m. Admission is free, but it is recommended that people arrive 15 minutes early because seating is limited. For more information, call Steven Chen at (732) 447-7595. Directions are available on the school Web site, www.juilliard.edu/about/directions.html. Anita's CD can be purchased at www.belairmusic.com and www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000G04U8C/musicwebuk. It also available for listening at the East Brunswick Public Library.