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Kevin Ahfat is a twelfth grader from Centennial, CO. He was born in Canada and began study at the age of seven. He will attend Juilliard in the fall, studying under Choong Mo Kang. He was a Silver Medallist at the Fifth Schimmel USASU International Piano Competition, a finalist at the 2010 IIYM International Piano Competition, and first prize winner in the Boulder Philharmonic, Steinway & Sons, SITV Young Artists, and 2009 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competitions, subsequently performing at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. He has performed with the Colorado Symphony, Arapahoe Philharmonic, and the Symphony in the Valley, and will perform with the Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra in August as first prize winner of the 2012 Schmitt Music Competition. He studies with Dr. Lei Wang.

Zhongliang Chen is a twelfth grader from Pawleys Island, SC. He was born in Shenyang, China and has studied piano since the age of five. Upon immigrating to America in 2008, he began studying with Dr. Gary Stegall at Coastal Carolina. He is active in his high school chorus, frequently serving as accompanist. During the past three years he has received scholarships from the Georgetown County Cultural Council. Some of his recent performances include a “Chopin Anniversary Concert” at Coastal Carolina University (Chopin Ballade in G minor), featured artist for the Miss Myrtle Beach Pageant (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue), and soloist with the Long Bay Youth Orchestra (Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2). He studies with Dr. Philip Powell.

Ethan Chu is an eleventh grader from Chapel Hill, NC. He began piano study at the age of six, and received the highest NCMTA competition award at age ten. He also received first place at Young Artist of RPTA (solo and concerto), Young Artist of DMTA (2009-2011), and second place in NCFMC State competitions. Other achievements include first place at the ECU Piano and Organ Competition Junior Division (2010) and second at the Senior Division (2012). He was the state runner-up of MTNA (2009), a finalist in the NC Symphony Concerto Competition, and first place in the Sir Walter Raleigh Festival of Music (Senior Classical). Since the age of nine, he has studied piano with John Ruggero.

Lorraine Marie Chung is a tenth grader from Sydney, Australia who began her musical training at the age of five. She is a prize winner of Eisteddfods at the City of Sydney, Parramatta, Ryde, Northern Beaches, Galston, St George, Hawkesbury, and winner of championships at Penrith, Sutherland, and Inner West. She received the Finalist Award at the 2011 IIYM International Piano Competition in Kansas, first prize at the Third Kawai Asia Piano Competition in Hong Kong, the Roger Woodward Scholarship, 2MBSFM Recording Award, Best Baroque Award from the United Music Teachers, and the Alf & Pearl Pollard Memorial Awards, and is a semi-finalist at the 2012 2MBS-FM Young Performers Award. She has played on Kansas Public Radio and 2MBS-FM. She currently studies with Tamara Anna Cislowska.

Allison Freeman is a twelfth grader from Winston-Salem, NC. She began study at age five, and is a five-time winner at Old Dominion University's Classical Period Piano Competition and second place winner of the NCTNA Senior Competition. In 2008, as winner of the Deas Student Concerto Competition, she played with the Wilmington Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Wilmington Symphony. She has participated in master classes with Bart van Oort, Peter Takacs, Lambert Orkis, Judit Gabos, Mischa Dichter, and Jon Nakamatsu. She attended Southeastern Piano Festival last summer, where she received a discretionary award. She plans to attend Meadowmount this summer. She currently studies with Eric Larsen.

Clara Gerdes, a tenth grader from Davidson, NC, has consistently won prizes in Charlotte Piano Teachers Forum, NCMTA and MTNA competitions. She placed first in the Senior Division of the CPTF concerto and solo competitions in 2009, and in 2012, third in the Senior Division of the ECU Young Artists Piano Competition. In 2011, she placed first in the Charlotte Symphony Guild Young Artists Competition (Junior Piano), and also in the ECU Young Artists Piano Competition (Junior Division), receiving first place in all categories. She performed with the Lee County Community Orchestra in Sanford and gave a solo recital in a concert series at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Davidson. She studies with Cynthia Lawing.

Noah Alden Hardaway is a tenth grader from Fayetteville, TX. Noah attended Kinhaven Music School in the summer of 2011, where he worked with Adrienne Kim, Mimi Solomon, as well as Inessa Zaretsky in a master class. While there, he performed chamber music, studied composition and had a work performed, and participated in Chorus and Chamber Choir. He received honorable mention at the Seventh International Chopin Youth Competition. He also has studied musicology for two years at the undergraduate and graduate level with professors who teach at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. He has been coached by Brian Connelly, James Dick, Dr. Robert Roux, Dr. Dean Shank, and Markus Groh, and currently studies with Dr. Clive Swansbourne.

Vanessa Meiling Haynes is a ninth grader from Shrewsbury, MA. Her awards include first prize at the Cleveland Intl. Piano Competition for Young Artists and Bradshaw & Buono Intl. Piano Competition, second prizes at the 2012 David D. Dubois Intl. Piano Competition and 2010 Burgos Intl. Music Festival (Spain), third prize at the 2010 Seattle Intl. Piano Competition, and finalist in the 2010 Ettlingen Intl. Competition for Young Pianists (Germany). She has performed with the Bela Bartok Orchestra and Muenster Orchestra of Germany in several Italian cities; in Burgos, Spain; the Beijing Concert Hall, China; and with the South Carolina Philharmonic, in Carnegie’s Weil and Merkin Halls and Mixon Hall (Cleveland). She studies under Hung Kuan Chen and Tema Blackstone at the New England Conservatory.

Henry Hsieh is an eleventh grader from Raleigh, NC. He has received awards from NCFMC and the Raleigh, Cary/Apex, and Durham Piano Teacher Associations. In 2006, he won a prize in the Old Dominion University Classical Period Piano Competition in Norfolk, VA. In 2009, he was state winner in the most advanced level of the NCFMC Festival and also received their Hinda Honigman Scholarship and Royalty Competition in the Prince Category. In 2010, he performed a recital at Ruggero Piano Auditorium in Raleigh. In 2011, he won the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, performing with the orchestra; participated in the Southeastern Piano Festival; and was invited to perform with the Youth Symphony of Duke University String School. He currently studies with John Ruggero.

Dong Yeon Kim is an eleventh grader from Idyllwild, CA. At age twelve, he performed with the Plano Symphony Orchestra (TX). In 2010, he was the grand prizewinner of the Lake Lewisville Competition, performing with the Lake Lewisville Symphony. He received first place in the 2010 Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition and performed with the Dallas Symphony under Jaap van Zweden. He also has received top prizes in the New Orleans International, Dallas Symphonic, National Young Artist Institute, MTNA, Wysong-Joplin, and Denton Bach Society competitions. He attended Summer at New Paltz and the Texas State International Piano Festival, coaching with Vladimir Feltsman, Susan Starr, Robert Hamilton, Alexander Korsantia, Julian Martin, and Lev Natochenny among others. He currently studies with Dr. Andrew Park.

Melvina Kuoshu is a seventh grader from Greenville, SC. She has participated in numerous local and state auditions and has received many awards. She won first place in both solo and concerto divisions in the 2011 SCMTA competition (Division II). She won third place in MTNA Junior Piano Competition in 2011 and the CYS Concerto Competition in 2012. In 2011, she also won second place in the NFMC competition, placed first to win the scholarship from Greenville Crescent Music Club, and was also a GMTA winner. Melvina is a recipient of The Morning Music Club annual full scholarship for the Southeastern Piano Festival scholarship designated for outstanding South Carolina piano students.

Aubrey Leaman is a twelfth grader from Irmo, SC. She has been studying piano since the age of seven. In 2012, Aubrey won the Afternoon, Eau Claire and Morning Music Clubs competition, the South Carolina Federation of Music Clubs’ Cornelia G. Walker scholarship, and the South Carolina Piano Festival Association scholarship. She has placed in SCMTA every year since 2008 and received honorable mention at MTNA in 2011. In 2010 she attended the Summer Keyboard Institute at Furman University, and in 2011 she attended the Southeastern Piano Festival for the first time. She has also been named a National Merit Finalist. Aubrey is a recipient of the Columbia Music Teacher's Association annual scholarship for the Southeastern Piano Festival designated for outstanding South Carolina piano students. Currently, she is the student of Dr. Joseph Rackers and Dr. Marina Lomazov and will continue with them as an incoming freshman in the fall of 2012.

Michael Lenahan is a twelfth grader from Rossford, OH. He has participated in the BGSU Summer Music Institute, the Brigham Young University Summer Music Festival, and the Brevard Music Center, and in master classes with Craig Nies, Irene Peery-Fox, Douglas Humpherys, and Logan Skelton. In 2009, he won the Toledo Symphony Young Artists Concerto Competition, performing with the orchestra. In 2010 and 2012 he won the Regional OMTA Buckeye Auditions, and in 2011, at the Brevard Music Center, second place in the International Zimmerli Piano Competition. Michael won the Toledo Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition two years in a row, was alternate in the 2011 MTNA State (OH) and first place in the 2012 Graves Piano Competitions. He currently studies with Dr. Robert Satterlee at Bowling Green State University.

Chambers Loomis is an eleventh grader from Asheville, NC. He has received first prize nine times in NFMC state-level competitions. In 2011, he placed first in the highest category of the Federation’s Royalty competition; received first prize in the senior division of the Asheville Piano Competition; placed first in the Hendersonville (NC) Symphony Young Artist Competition, performing with the orchestra; was awarded first prize in Charlotte Symphony Guild’s Youth Artists Competition and was a finalist in the North Carolina Symphony’s Youth Concerto Competition. For the past two years, he attended the Brevard Music Center under the instruction of Douglas Weeks and will be studying with Martin Canin at the Bowdoin International Music Festival this summer. He currently studies with Suzan Fehr.

Evelyn Mo is an eighth grader from Herndon, VA. Her awards include first prizes at the 2012 Blount- Slawson Young Artist Concerto Competition, 2011 Chopin International Piano Competition (Hartford, CT), 2011 MSMTA Beethoven Sonata Competition, and the International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington, DC in 2008 and 2010. She is also a national finalist in the 2012 MTNA Junior Piano Competition. She has been invited to appear on NPR’s ”From the Top’‘ and has performed at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, National Gallery of Art, and Department of State, and will perform the Chopin E Minor Concerto with the Montgomery Symphony. She currently studies with Thomas Mastroianni.

Andrew Norton is a tenth grader from Raleigh, NC. In addition to solo performance, Andrew has enjoyed participating in a chamber group led by Dorothy Kitchen, faculty member at the Duke University Strings School. Andrew has received honor ratings in festivals/competitions including Young Artist Auditions, NCMTA (held by the North Carolina Music Teachers Association), and National Piano Guild. He won first place in the Sir Walter Raleigh Festival of Music in 2009 and competed in MTNA in 2010. He has most recently won first place in the Raleigh Piano Teacher’s Association Scholarship Competition. Andrew is active in his church and desires to glorify God through his music. He studies with Dr. Margaret Evans.

Luke Ratcliffe is a tenth grader from Sterling, VA. He was the club, district, and regional first prizewinner in the Lions Club Bland Scholarship Competition and prizewinner in the Viola Hartman Piano Competition, Washington MTA’s judged recitals, and Northern Virginia MTA’s Achievement Awards and judged recitals. As winner of the MasterWorks Festival Concerto Competition, he performed with the festival orchestra. He was also a prize winner in the Robert Spencer Piano Concerto Competition and the NVMTA Concerto Festival. He has performed at the Music Center at Strathmore, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, and in master classes with Lambert Orkis, Hugh Sung, and Wu Han. He is also pianist for the American Youth Philharmonic, which regularly performs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Luke studies with Lisa Emenheiser Sarratt.

Matthew Reichenberger is an eighth grader from Choral Springs, FL. He has won numerous awards in piano and composition, including first place in the FFMC state competitions. He has been nominated for their Irene Muir Award (for special talent) for the last three consecutive years. He was first place winner in the 2010 FSMTA State Concerto Competition and a national finalist in the 2010/2011 MTNA Junior Piano Competition, and he received awards from AADGT. Recently, he was a first place winner in the the 2012 Pompano Beach Piano Competition and received the Steinway Virtuoso Scholarship Award. In 2012, he and his brother were featured artists in the Trinity Concert Series in Fort Lauderdale, and he was also selected to perform in the 2011 and 2012 Chopin Foundation’s Young Pianists Concerts. Matthew is a student of Maria Gomez.

Rieko Tsuchida is an eleventh grader from Mill Valley, CA, youngest prizewinner of the Chopin International Piano Competition in Asia (2003) and in 2011 one of eight international pianists in the Verbier Festival, studying under Stephen Kovacevich and Ferenc Rados with master classes by Gabor Takács-Nagy and Lawrence Power. She has performed with the California Symphony, Rochester Phillharmonic, and San Domenico Orchestra, and in 2009 played in Carnegie Hall as first prize winner of the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition. She also appeared in a joint program with Placido Domingo and in another with Kiri Te Kanawa and Frederica Von Stade (San Francisco) and won first prizes in the San Francisco Young Pianists’ Competition, Ross McKee Competition, and third prize in the IIYM International Piano Competition. She studies with John McCarthy.

David Wang is an eleventh grader from Moreland Hills, OH who began study at the age of six. He was a silver medalist for the solo division at the 53rd World Piano Competition, and as a result was invited to perform as a soloist at Carnegie Hall in 2009. At the 2012 American Protégé International Concerto Competition, he was a finalist among many applicants, thereby earning him another Carnegie Hall opportunity. Other awards include first prizes at the 2008 and 2010 Fortnightly Music Club Competitions, winner of the Duquesne University National Young Artist Performance, and winner of the Buckeye Scholarship, among others. David is also founder and chairman of the Karasik Community Outreach Project, a charity group that performs regularly at senior citizen centers and at hospitals. He studies with Ella Karasik.

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