2010 Festival Participants

Alex Biniaz HarrisAlex Biniaz Harris, son of Susan Biniaz and Robert Harris, is an eleventh-grader at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C. Last year, he performed twice with the Loudon Symphony. He has received first prize honors in the Levine School of Music's Cogen Concerto Competition, Marlin-Engel Solo Competition, and Chamber Music Competition. He has played several times in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall and the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater—as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist—as a winner of the American Fine Arts Festival. He has performed on the Waterford Concert Series and at several concerts of the Rock Creek Chamber Players. He studies with Irena Orlov at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C.

Competition Program

Sarcasms, Op. 17
I. Tempestoso II. Allegro rubato III. Allegro precipitato IV. Smanioso V. Precipitosissimo

Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)


Prelude in G-sharp Minor, Op. 32, No. 12

Sergei Rachmaninov
(1873-1943)


Picture of Nicolas Biniaz HarrisNicolas Biniaz Harris, son of Susan Biniaz and Robert Harris, is an eighth-grader at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C. He has received first prize honors in the Levine School of Music's Cogen Concerto Competition and Marlin-Engel Solo Competition. He has played several times in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall and the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater as a winner of the American Fine Arts Festival. He has performed on the Waterford Concert Series and at several concerts of the Rock Creek Chamber Players. He studies with Irena Orlov at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C.

Competition Program

Berceuse in D-flat Major, Op. 57

Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)


Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1949)
I. Allegretto

Francis Poulenc
(1899-1963)


Picture of Thomas BurrillThomas Burrill, son of Claude and Tina Burrill, is a ninth-grader at West High School in Coralville, IA who began piano studies at three with Hikari Nakamura. He was recently a featured solo pianist on NPR's "From the Top." After winning the 2010 Central Iowa Symphony Young Artists Competition, he performed with the Central Iowa Symphony. He has also performed solo and chamber works at the Pan Pacific Suzuki Conference in Sydney, Australia. A finalist at the Seattle International Piano Competition and Festival, he is also a two-time winner at the Iowa Music Teachers State Piano Competitions. He also won first prize and played at the Private Teachers Music Association Festival in Iowa and has performed in master classes with Awadagin Pratt, Kenneth Amada, and Seizo Azuma. Since 2007, he has studied with Feilin Lin.

Competition Program

Sonata in B-flat Minor, Op. 35
I. Grave; Doppio movimento

Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)


Concerto in D Minor, K. 466
I. Allegro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756-1791)


Picture of Naomi CausbyNaomi Causby, daughter of Tom and Suzie Causby, is a tenth-grader at Irmo High School in Columbia, SC. In addition to her award in Music Club Scholarship Auditions, she has participated successfully in MTNA Junior, SCMTA District and State, SC Federation of Music Clubs, and Columbia Music Teachers Scholarship Auditions, and has appeared three times on SCETV. She has attended the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, studying under Ani Gogova and Ruthanne Schempf, and the Southeastern Piano Festival, receiving an honorable mention in the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition. Recently, she was a finalist in The Blount-Slawson Young Artists Competition, received third prize in the Burgos International Competition (Spain), and performed with the Greenville Young Artist Orchestra. She currently studies with Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers.

Competition Program

Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Franz Liszt
(1811-1886)


Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
I. Andante; Allegro

Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)


Picture of Laura ChaLaura Cha, daughter of Samuel Cha and Yi Lao, is an eleventh-grader at River Springs Charter School in Temecula, CA. She started taking piano lessons at the age of 6. Laura has won first place in many competitions, including first prize in the 2008 H.B. Goodlin Foundation Competition and Chet and June Schmidt Award. In the summer of 2009, Laura attended Interlochen Arts Camp with a merit scholarship and she will attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in the summer of 2010. In Laura's spare time, she enjoys reading all different genres of literature and listening to various kinds of music. She plans to become a pianist, psychiatrist or a fashion designer, and she currently studies with Inessa Litvin.

Competition Program

Sonata in F Minor, Op. 57
III. Allegro ma non troppo

Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)


Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54
I. Allegro affettuoso

Robert Schumann
(1810-1856)


Picture of Francisco ChomnalezFrancisco Chomnalez, son of Pedro Chomnalez and Maria Herrera, is a tenth-grader at The Dalton School in New York City and a piano major and cello minor in the Precollege Division of the Manhattan School of Music. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Greenfield Hall, CAMI Hall, and Steinway Hall among others in the United States and Europe, and played both piano and cello concerti with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the Lucy Moses School Professional Orchestra and the Stamford Young Artist Philharmonic, among others. He has received prizes in several international competitions including the American Protégé and The Thousand Islands International Piano Competitions and participated in summer festivals in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Ukraine. He currently studies with Maria Asteriadov.

Competition Program

Scherzo in B Minor, Op. 20

Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)


Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
I. Moderato

Sergei Rachmaninov
(1873-1943)


Picture of Hao FengHao Feng, son of Yi Feng and Jie Liu, is a twelfth-grader at Farragut High School in Knoxville, TN. He began studying the piano when he was seven years old, in Louisville, Kentucky, with Jessie Xu. Hao began the violin when he was five years old, and currently studies with Bingkuang Fang, a member of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, he was selected as one of the eight piano students from across the state to study at the Governor's School for the Arts, and was one of the five selected out of the entire school to perform on Nashville's Classical Radio Station, WPLN-FM Live in Studio C. Hao has performed with the Nashville, Knoxville, and Maryville Symphonies, as well as the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has studied since 2004 with Dr. David Northington.


Competition Program

Toccata, Op. 11

Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)


Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 1
III. Allegro vivace

Sergei Rachmaninov
(1873-1943)


Picture of Allison FreemanAllison Freeman, daughter of John and Debbie Freeman, is a home-schooled tenth-grader from Wilmington, NC who began studying piano at age five. She is a five-time winner at Old Dominion University's Classical Period Piano Competition (Norfolk, VA) and has participated in master classes with Bart van Oort, Peter Takacs, and Lambert Orkis. In 2008, she soloed with the Wilmington Symphony Youth Orchestra as the Junior Division winner of the Richard R. Deas Student Concerto Competition. Two years later, as the High School Division winner, she performed with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra. She also studies cello and oboe, and plays cello with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra. She will attend University of North Carolina School of the Arts for her last two years of high school, and currently studies with Barbara Furr.

Competition Program

Scherzo, Op. 6, No. 3

Charles Tomlinson Griffes
(1884-1920)


Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22
I. Andante sostenuto

Camille Saint-Saëns
(1835-1921)


Picture of David HortonDavid Horton, son of Steven and Patricia Horton, is a ninth-grader at West High School in Salt Lake City, UT. His accomplishments include winning the 2010 Riverton Metropolitan Orchestra Concerto Competition, the 2009 Interlochen Concerto Competition, 2008 SummerArts Concerto Competition at the University of Utah, (where he also won the Ironman Award), 2007 Rocky Ridge Music Center Concerto Competition, UMTA Concerto Competition (2010), Utah State Fair (2007) and Summer Piano Competition at Dayne's Music (2006). He has soloed with the Interlochen Philharmonic, the University of Utah Wind Ensemble, and the Rocky Ridge Faculty Orchestra (CO), and has also performed in the Salt Lake Main Library, the Sorenson Unity Center, and the Assembly Hall at Temple Square. Currently he is studying with Dr. Heather Conner.

Competition Program

Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2

Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)


Concerto in G Major
I. Allegramente

Maurice Ravel
(1875-1937)


Picture of William HueholtWilliam Hueholt, son of David and Therese Hueholt, is a home-schooled resident of Wilmington, NC. He was State Winner of the MTNA Senior Competition and a Southern Division Honorable Mention in 2008 and a State Honorable Mention in 2009. He also placed in the MTNA Junior Competition three times. He has won the Richard R. Deas Student Concerto Competition in both Junior and Senior divisions. He often serves as pianist for the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra and has been a featured "Focus on Piano Literature" soloist at UNC-Greensboro three times. He has performed in master classes with Philip Bush, Douglas Humpherys, Jerome Lowenthal, Andrew Cooperstock, Robert McDonald, and others, and will attend the Eastern Music Festival this summer in Greensboro, NC. For the past nine years, he has studied with Barbara Furr.

Competition Program

Toccata in E Minor, BWV 914

Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)


Concerto No. 3, Op. 95
III. Burlesque

Lowell Liebermann
(b. l961)


Picture of Serena LianSerena Lian, daughter of Xi Lian and Sizhe Li, is a ninth grader at DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, KY. She was born in Albany, NY, and at the age of five moved to Louisville and began piano lessons. She participated at the age of nine in her first local competition, the 2005 Corneille Overstreet Competition, in which she won first place in the elementary piano division. Since then, she has won the "best performance of a work composed 1910-present" award at the Kentucky Music Teachers' Association Piano Festival four times and received second place in the piano division of the MacDowell Music Club Young Artist Competition twice. She also was second place winner at the state level of the MTNA Piano Competition in 2007. She currently studies with Dror Biran.

Competition Program

Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 870 (WTC II)

Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)


Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54
I. Allegro affettuoso

Robert Schumann
(1810-1856)


Picture of Roman LinRoman Lin, son of Sean Lin and Julie Liang, is a tenth grader at East Chapel High School in Chapel Hill, NC. He has been a participant in the SCMTA Piano Festival, Florence Piano Festival, the Young Artist Competition, MTNA Piano Competition, and East Carolina University competition, among others. He also has studied the violin for ten years and has an interest in composition. In addition to his work as a solo pianist, he has participated in many orchestras and chamber groups as a violinist. For the first nine years of his piano studies, Roman studied with Linda McKenzie. Since moving to North Carolina last year, he has been a student of Greg McCallum.

Competition Program

Sonata in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2
I. Largo; Allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)


Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
I. Moderato

Sergei Rachmaninov
(1873-1943)


Picture of Daniel LongDaniel Long, son of Keith and Catherine Long, is a home-schooled eleventh grader who lives in Manquin, VA. He began his piano studies at the age of five in Vienna, Austria. In February 2009, he won second place in the East Carolina University Piano Competition. In June, he was a participant at Southeastern Piano Festival, and in July, he performed the Brahms Trio, Opus 40 on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center as a part of its Summer Music Institute program. Early in 2010, he was awarded prizes in the local and regional Lion's Club Bland Competition. In March, he won First Prize in the East Carolina University Piano Competition and an additional award for best performance of a Chopin work, also winning second place in the Old Dominion University Piano Competition. He currently studies with Mrs. Lisa Emenheiser Sarratt.

Competition Program

Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 82
IV. Vivace

Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)


Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73
I. Allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)


Picture of Micah McLaurinMicah McLaurin, son of David and Karen McLaurin, is a home-schooled 9th grader from Charleston, SC. He was the second prize winner of the 2008 IIYM International Piano Competition and has performed with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and the Youth Orchestra of the Low Country (YOLOW). He has appeared in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and was the youngest ever to perform in the International Piano Series at the College of Charleston. He has also performed in Music Fest Perugia, in Perugia and Spoleto, Italy. A former student of Marsha Gerber, he currently studies with Enrique Graf at the Charleston Academy of Music.

Competition Program

Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI/50
I. Allegro

Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809)


Concerto in F Minor, Op. 21
I. Maestoso

Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)


Picture of Sarah MoralesSarah Morales, daughter of Hector and Juliana Morales, is a home-schooled eleventh grader from Columbia, SC. Inspired by her great-grandmother, who was a concert pianist in the former Soviet Union, Sarah began her piano study at age five. She has won numerous scholarship awards from the Eau Claire, Morning, and Afternoon Music Clubs and the Columbia Music Teachers Association. In addition she has competed successfully in the South Carolina Music Teachers Association solo and concerto auditions. Sarah has attended piano clinics at Converse College and Presbyterian College and has performed in master classes for Paul Pollei and Jerome Lowenthal. She currently studies piano with Robyn Gibson, Professor Emeritus of Columbia College.

Competition Program

Toccata in E Minor, BWV 914

Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)


Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19
I. Allegro con brio

Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)


Picture of Derek VannDerek Vann, son of Gary and Gayle Vann, is a twelfth-grader at Norcross High School in Norcross, GA. For eleven years, he has performed in the National Piano Guild auditions, as well as numerous other programs and competitions. He participated in All-State for Piano Solo and Piano 4-Hands, performing on the Winners Recital twice. Last November, he was the twelfth-grade recitalist at the GMT Conference, and in February performed with the District Honor Band. He has received the High School Scholarship Award from GFMC, the Nancy and Bill Arnold Scholarship Award and a 90-point Gold Cup from the National Federation of Music Clubs as well as the Thelma Byrum award, given only at the national level. In 2009 he won the Atlanta-Bauru Piano Competition at Georgia State University, and will tour three Brazilian cities this year. During the past four years, he has studied with Lois Finlay.

Competition Program

Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Franz Liszt
(1811-1886)


Rhapsody in Blue

George Gershwin
(1898-1937)


Picture of Albert WangAlbert Wang, son of Connie and Bingcheng Wang, is a tenth-grader at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, OH. He has won prizes including a Boston University Tanglewood Institute scholarship, the Duquesne Young Artist National Competition, International Young Artist Piano Competition (DC), Lee University National Piano Competition, 2008 OMTA Scholarship Competition, MTNA Competition, World Piano Competition, and National Walgreens Concerto Competition. He has performed in Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall (NY) and Severance Hall (Cleveland) and at the age of nine was the youngest to perform on the WCLV classical music station for Cleveland International Competition, returning in 2009. After performing at the IYAPC's winner's concert, he was invited to play at a U.S. Department of State concert. He currently studies with Emanuela Friscioni and Antonio Pompa-Baldi.

Competition Program

Sonata in F Minor, Op. 57
I. Allegro assai

Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)


Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
I. Andante; Allegro

Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)


Picture of Rebecca WillettRebecca Willett, daughter of Scott and Kimberly Willett, is a home-schooled tenth grader from Virginia Beach, VA. She began piano at age four, subsequently studying with Melody Diehl, Anne Bugg, and Dr. Jeffrey Brown. She has frequently performed in the Virginia Symphony's Young Artist Showcase and also in 10-Piano Concerts in Sacramento (CA) and Matsumoto, Japan. She made her solo orchestral debut with the Richmond Symphony in 2009 when she won first prize in the Symphony League's Young Artist Concerto Competition. She was chosen to perform in Sundays at Four's Terrific Talented Teen concert in August 2009, returning in January for a full solo recital. Recently, she performed with the York River and Bay Youth Symphony Orchestras. She currently studies with Suzanne Guy and will begin lessons with Ignat Solzhenitsyn and Dr. Marjorie Lee.

Competition Program

L'isle joyeuse

Claude Debussy
(1862-1918)


Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
I. Allegro molto moderato

Edvard Grieg
(1843-1907)


Picture of Ming WilsonMing Wilson, son of Steve and Yali Wilson, is an eighth-grader at Science Hill High School. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall at age 11 in May 2007 in New York City as one of the first place winners in the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in the 11 and under category. Less than a year later, he made his orchestral debut with the Johnson City Symphony in February 2008 at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, TN with the third movement of Mozart's A Major Piano Concerto, K. 488. He is a recent recipient of From The Top's Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist award and has appeared on From The Top on National Public Radio. He has won numerous local, regional and state competitions and also has been named a 2009 Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar. He is a student of Dr. Donald Conflenti of Johnson City, TN.

Competition Program

Feux d'Artifice (Preludes, Book II)

Claude Debussy
(1862-1918)


Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
I. Andante non troppo e molto maestoso

Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
(1840-1893)


Picture of Brook ZhangBrook Zhang, son of Li and Mindy Zhang, is a tenth-grader at the Columbus Academy in Columbus, OH. Most recently, he was the winner of the Columbus Symphony's Young Musicians Competition and played with the CSO at the Ohio Theater. He was the first prize winner (Senior Division) at the Ohio Music Teacher Association/Graves piano competition and a recipient of music summer scholarships. As a winner of both concerto and solo divisions of Cincinnati World Piano Competition, Brook was invited twice to play at the Weil Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall. He won the Discretionary Award at last year's SEPF concerto competition, and is a student of Nina Polonsky.

Competition Program

Rigoletto: Concert Paraphrase

Franz Liszt
(1811-1886)


Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major, Op. 10

Serge Prokofiev
(1891-1953)