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Congratulations 

Winners in 2024

We appreciate the strong results demonstrated in your work.

Thank you for your partipation

Wall of Honor

All-Winners will receive the email notification shortly with the further information regarding the Prize and Honor Recital 

Elementary Division

Time Kan Janawisitphone

Time Kan Janawisitphone

GRAND PRIZE

Olivia Lu

Olivia Lu

SECOND PRIZE

Kameron Mizuta

Kameron Mizuta

FIRST PRIZE

Felix Zhu

Felix Zhu

HONORABLE MENTION

Jolin Lin

Jolin Lin

FIRST PRIZE

Junior Division 

Calvin To

GRAND PRIZE

Calvin loves music and has been playing the piano for seven years. He also has studied cello for about four years now. Calvin has made significant progress in his music studies and received high marks with distinction for his piano and cello exams from Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and Trinity College London. He received the RCM Regional Gold Medal for his level 6 exam. He serves as the cello section leader in his school orchestra and is also a cellist in one of the string quartets at The Music Matters Foundation, performing regularly for charitable and educational communities. Additionally, he has participated in various local and international music competitions, receiving top awards. Outside of music, Calvin enjoys playing various sports such as ultimate frisbee, flag football, basketball, and badminton.

Stephen Chen

GRAND PRIZE

Growing up in the greater Richmond area of Virginia, Stephen S. Chen is currently studying under Dr. Yinfei Wang to pursue his pianist dream. Stephen started his piano journey at age five and a half with Ms. Ruta Smedina-Starke. Stephen won many competitions crossing international, state, and district levels. He was placed 1st in the V International Chopin Competition in Vienna, XV Savshinsky International Music Competition, OPUS Music Competition, American Protégé International Competition, Stockholm Tenth International Music Competition, Carles & Sofia International Piano Competition, Vienna Virtuoso International Competition, Charleston International Competition, Elite International Music Competition, International Youth Music Competition, and American Music Talent Competition. He also received different prizes from the Thomas Hulbert International Piano Competition, San Francisco International Piano Competition, International Young Artist Piano Competition, Enkor International Music Competition, Feurich International Competition, Artcial International Piano Competition, the Pacific International Piano Competition, International Grande Music Competition, and Bradshaw & Buono Piano Competition. He won first place in the VMTA (Virginia Music Teacher Association) State Auditions in 2022, second in 2021, and third in 2023. Additionally, he won first place in RMTA (Richmond Music Teacher Association) Central Virginia District Auditions in consecutive years (2021-2024), the Bach Competition, and the Sonata Competition. Stephen received the Student of the Year 2022 Achievement Award and the 2023 Summer Music Camp Scholarship from RMTA. Stephen achieved his Carnegie Hall and Ehrbar Saal Vienna performance debuts in 2023. He was invited to perform at the Washington International Piano Festival 2023 and 2024. He had masterclasses with Professor Vladimir Kharin (University of Music and Performance Arts, Vienna), and Daniel Adam Maltz (Fortepianist based in Vienna). Stephen regularly performs as a volunteer at greater Richmond area retirement centers. Besides playing piano, Stephen loves reading and math. He received the grand award (99%) from the John Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Testing in 2021.

Alyson Lin

SECOND PRIZE

Lucy Huang

HONORABLE MENTION

Calvin To

FIRST PRIZE

Calvin loves music and has been playing the piano for seven years. He also has studied cello for about four years now. Calvin has made significant progress in his music studies and received high marks with distinction for his piano and cello exams from Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and Trinity College London. He received the RCM Regional Gold Medal for his level 6 exam. He serves as the cello section leader in his school orchestra and is also a cellist in one of the string quartets at The Music Matters Foundation, performing regularly for charitable and educational communities. Additionally, he has participated in various local and international music competitions, receiving top awards. Outside of music, Calvin enjoys playing various sports such as ultimate frisbee, flag football, basketball, and badminton.

Ethan Tong

HONORABLE MENTION

Intermediate Division 

Nina Iorik

Nina Iorik

GRAND PRIZE

Nina Iorik is an outstanding 13-year-old pianist residing in Seattle, Washington. She started her musical journey at the age of nine and currently studies with prominent pedagogue Dr. Nino Merabishvili. Nina combines her piano playing with harpsichord and organ studies under Dr. Wyatt Smith. Nina is also a student of the Seattle Chamber Music Academy (SCMA) and has performed numerous times with the SCMA’ s chamber music program at Benaroya hall, Seattle. Nina has also taken masterclasses with many acclaimed pianists, such as Robert Shannon, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Alvin Chow, Steven Spooner, Natalia Trull, Anne-Marie McDermott, Joseph Rackers, Marina Lomazov, Eleonora Karpukhova, Paige Roberts Molloy and others. Nina is also a harpsichord student and continuo player at the Early Music Youth Academy (Seattle), which is part of the Seattle Historical Arts for Kids Society. As a harpsichordist, Nina took lessons with acclaimed harpsichordists and fortepianists such as David Breitman and Mark Edwards (Oberlin Conservatory of Music), and Jillon Stoppels-Dupree. Nina is also a young composer and writes classical solos and duets for different instruments. Her works are used by local piano teachers for intermediate students. In 2023, Nina won first place with her musical composition at the Reflections PTA Art Competition. As an addition to her music studies, Nina is an active member of several musical non-profit organizations: Back to Bach International Music Society, ConChord Music (Music for mental health) and Project CliKK (diversity and accessibility for musicians). Nina is giving free recitals and lectures about classical music at local schools, senior homes, and fundraising events. Nina is a gifted musician with a deep sense of music. Despite her young age, Nina has won many awards at regional and international competitions. She also takes part in music festivals in Europe and USA, such as Oberlin Piano festival 2023 (Ohio, USA), Peng Piano Academy 2022 with full scholarship (California, USA), Piano loop Festival 2022 (Croatia), Seattle Young Artists Music Festival 2023 (Washington state, 2023), Russian Chamber Music Festival (Washington ,USA, 2020- 2023), Bach International Music Festival (Seattle, USA, 2020-2024), SonaFest (Washington state, 2021-2023), Virtuoso Artists Seattle International Piano Festival (2021). Awards: • Pacific Northwest Piano Competition 2022 /23 Gold and Silver Medals. • Grand -Pri x in chamber program and Gold medal in solo program at the International Music Competition " N ouvelles Etoiles" ( France, Paris, 2023 ) . • Two Gold with scholarship and one Silver meda l s at the Russian Chamber Music Festival in Seattle 202 0/21/22 ) • Two Gold and Silver medal s at the (Sonata-Sonatina Festival, Seattle 202 1 /22/23 ) • Seattle International Bach Piano Festival : Disting uish Gold Medal ist in numero us years 2020 /21/22/23) as well as Award of excellence for the exceptional performance on a harpsichord in 2023 . • Silver medal at the F. Chopin Piano Competition, Northwest Division, 2022 . • Two Silver medal s at the Pacific International Piano Competition, 202 1 /22. • Finalist of the César Franck International Piano Competition, Belgium 2022.
Ashley Chen

Ashley Chen

THIRD PRIZR

Donovan To

Donovan To

FIRST PRIZE

Donovan loves music and has been playing piano for about 10 years (since he was five). Before the pandemic, he started learning the violin and has been playing violin for about five years. Donovan has been progressing through his music studies and earned high marks with distinction in piano and violin exams including Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and Trinity College London. He also received the RCM National Gold Medal for level 8, and Regional Gold Medals for levels 6 and 7. He participates in the school orchestra as the concertmaster. He was accepted to the 2024 WMEA All-State Philharmonic Strings for violin. He plays as the first violinist in the string quartet of The Music Matters Foundation which he performs regularly at charitable and educational communities. He competed in various local and international music competitions for both piano and violin and received top awards. Outside of music, he enjoys various sports including cross-country, badminton, football, and ultimate frisbee. He loves to read and draw in his spare time as well as compete in scholastic chess tournaments.
Katherine Huang

Katherine Huang

THIRD PRIZE

Donovan To

Donovan To

FIRST PRIZE

Donovan loves music and has been playing piano for about 10 years (since he was five). Before the pandemic, he started learning the violin and has been playing violin for about five years. Donovan has been progressing through his music studies and earned high marks with distinction in piano and violin exams including Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and Trinity College London. He also received the RCM National Gold Medal for level 8, and Regional Gold Medals for levels 6 and 7. He participates in the school orchestra as the concertmaster. He was accepted to the 2024 WMEA All-State Philharmonic Strings for violin. He plays as the first violinist in the string quartet of The Music Matters Foundation which he performs regularly at charitable and educational communities. He competed in various local and international music competitions for both piano and violin and received top awards. Outside of music, he enjoys various sports including cross-country, badminton, football, and ultimate frisbee. He loves to read and draw in his spare time as well as compete in scholastic chess tournaments.
Sophie Li

Sophie Li

SECOND PRIZE

Ziyu Dong

Ziyu Dong

HONORABLE MENTION

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