Chen Tscheng-hsiung was born in Ilan, Taiwan, and graduated from the National Taiwan College of Arts (now National Taiwan University of Arts) and the Mozarteum Musikhochschule in Austria. He has taught at his alma mater - the National Taiwan College of Arts, the Chinese Culture College (now Chinese Culture University), Tunghai University, Shih Chien University and the Taipei Municipal Teachers College. He has conducted many symphony orchestras, choruses, wind orchestras and Chinese orchestras in Taiwan. Currently conducting on a freelance basis, Chen is Resident Guest Conductor of several Chinese orchestras.
In 1984, Chen was appointed Director and Conductor of Taipei Municipal Chinese Orchestra (now Taipei Chinese Orchestra). In 1991, he took over the helm of Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra, now National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. He laid the cornerstone for audience building in music, and bridged the culture gap between urban and rural areas.
Chen founded the Taiwan Youth Symphony Orchestra in 1992. The young members, aged between ten and twenty, came from all over Taiwan. He took the orchestra on tour to the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa, visiting dozens of cities. The orchestra won critical acclaim wherever it went, and Chen was highly commended for achieving "the mission impossible".
