Born in Taipei, Mr. Johnson Chen began studying the trombone at the age of 16. He was the Trumbone First Prize winner of the Music Competition Taiwan (Taipei) in 1982. 

After obtaining his B.M. from Taipei National University of the Arts in 1988, Mr. Johnson Chen moved to Paris to study with Prof. J. Toulon (Soloist of L’Orchestra de Paris), Prof. G.Milliere (Professor of Paris CNSM), and the Prof. R. Katarzynski (Soloist of The Opera Paris) in 1990. Johnson obtained First Prize from C.N.R Boulongner in 1992.

Johnson was a member of the National Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan) for 25 years before his retirement. Along with his orchestral achievements, Johnson has always been devoted to teaching and performing. 

He was a member of the Contemporary Music Society and Wind Society, where he put tremendous efforts into performing debuts of contemporary works and the development of modern music teaching. 

In 2001, he joined hands with trombone elites of Taiwan and founded the Taiwan Trombone Music Camp, the first major activity for Trombone in Taiwan.  In 2008, he coached in the STW summer trombone camp with David Taylor, Dietmar Küblböck, and Haim Avitsur. In 2009, he was invited to be in guest jury of Hong Kong Youth Music Interflows. In the same year, he was invited to be the spoken artist of Conn Trombone, Conn-Selmer.

Besides his NSO career, Johnson was a member of the NSO trombone quartet which has toured to Hong Kong, Macau and Korea. He has taught in several music schools in Taipei and hosts many masterclasses with famous trombonists such as C.Lindberg, J.Alessi and many others.