I'm Zhi Chen, a New York City–based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and sound designer. My music is a representation of my Chinese heritage, jazz, and Western classical traditions. I'm constantly finding new ways to blend these influences and tell stories that connect across cultures. I've scored award-winning short films and documentaries, most recently the Russo Brothers–funded Luigi Lookalike (2025), an Italian American mockumentary.

I also run ZCStudios, where my team and I handle post-production sound for film and video games, including music, dialogue editing, sound design, foley, and re-recording mixing and mastering. Outside the studio, I stay busy performing around the city. I lead The Chicken Combo Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble with a rotating lineup of professional jazz musicians, and play keys in my rock band, Screwbawl, performing originals and Bruce Springsteen covers at various venues.

I am currently working on two dream projects: The Great Race, a musical based on the 12 Chinese zodiac animals that I'd love to bring to Broadway someday, and a piano concerto for orchestra and film, exploring the New Seven Wonders of the World with my mentor Jeffrey Biegel. At the heart of it all, I want my music to amplify underrepresented voices and bring people together. When I'm not being workaholic in the studio, you can probably find me surfing at Rockaway Beach with my younger brother.
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