Pei-En Ai is a Second-year graduate student at UNCSA, pursuing a Master of Music in Composition for Film and Visual Media.
Pei-En grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. She began studying piano and violin in childhood. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music composition in Taiwan and graduated from UNCSA with her Master of Music in Composition in 2025.
In recent summers, she participated in the Atlantic Music Festival in Maine and the Berlin Transatlantic Composer Workshop, and the Cortona Sessions for New Music, where her compositions were premiered. One of her pieces, Echos of the Tea Hills, reflects her cultural heritage as a Hakka, a minority group from Taiwan.
Before studying in the U.S., Pei-En worked as a substitute music teacher for both primary and middle schools in Taiwan. She also led music workshops for elderly participants focused on hand drumming and creative engagement, and taught character education through music storytelling to preschool children. At UNCSA, she served as a teaching assistant in composition for the undergraduate counterpoint class.
Pei-En enjoys interacting with people of all ages and is passionate about using music as a way to connect, inspire, and express. She brings a perspective to her work, encouraging others to appreciate, enjoy, and create music from a variety of angles and ways in this beautiful and diverse world.