Chen Yi began learning on piano and at age four was introduced to the violin. At age 17, she became concertmaster of the Peking Opera in Beijing. In 1978, Chen was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music where she received a bachelor's and master's degree. She was the first Chinese woman to receive a Master of Arts (M.A.) in music composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
Chen was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition Si Ji (Four Seasons). She composed a great number of orchestral works and made many contributions to the choral repertoire and the chamber music repertoire, including works written for traditional Chinese instruments.