Concerto Division (ages 18-25)
Kevin Knowles, 1st Prize
Final Round Performance Pieces:
Concerto No. 4, Op. 58, I. Allegro moderato, by Ludwig van Beethoven
Anna is a ten-year-old fifth grader from Sterling, Virginia. She started playing the piano at age six and has grown to love the instrument and its repertoire. Some of her accomplishments include winning first place at the Washington, DC Steinway Competition, Gertrude Brown Memorial Concerto Competition, Robert Spencer Concerto Competition, Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Achievement Awards, YMIC Competition, ODU Classical Period Competition, International Asian American Competition, and Hartman Awards. She has been a two time-prizewinner at the Knabe Young Artist Competition and had the honor of being a finalist at the International Kaufman Piano Competition. Anna has been invited to play at the German Embassy and the Hungarian Embassy, and she has been a soloist playing with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. She has also been selected for the honors recital at NVMTA Judged Recital, Sonata Festival, and Bach Festival. The piano has changed Anna's life as discovering the world of classical music, especially the piano repertoire, has given her much joy.
Concerto No. 4, Op. 58, I. Allegro moderato, by Ludwig van Beethoven
Anna is a ten-year-old fifth grader from Sterling, Virginia. She started playing the piano at age six and has grown to love the instrument and its repertoire. Some of her accomplishments include winning first place at the Washington, DC Steinway Competition, Gertrude Brown Memorial Concerto Competition, Robert Spencer Concerto Competition, Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Achievement Awards, YMIC Competition, ODU Classical Period Competition, International Asian American Competition, and Hartman Awards. She has been a two time-prizewinner at the Knabe Young Artist Competition and had the honor of being a finalist at the International Kaufman Piano Competition. Anna has been invited to play at the German Embassy and the Hungarian Embassy, and she has been a soloist playing with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. She has also been selected for the honors recital at NVMTA Judged Recital, Sonata Festival, and Bach Festival. The piano has changed Anna's life as discovering the world of classical music, especially the piano repertoire, has given her much joy.
William Chiang, 3rd Prize
Final Round Performance Pieces:
Concerto No. 1, Op. 23, I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso by Peter Tchaikovsky
Michelle Qiu, age twelve, has been studying piano with Dr. Anna Ouspenskaya since the age of four. Michelle has won numerous awards at piano competitions since the age of five. She's a first prize winner at the American Fine Arts Festival Concerto Competition, Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association Piano Concerto Festival, and Great Composers Art of Piano Competitions. In 2016, she won the grand prize at the Malek Jandali International Piano Competition. She is also a prize winner at many other competitions, such as the American Protege Piano Competition, Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, Robert Spencer Piano Concerto Competition, IYAPC Piano Competition, YMIC International Piano Competition, and more. Michelle performed at the Kennedy Center for the Lang Lang: 101 Pianists concert when she was seven, and she made her debut at Carnegie Hall when she was nine. She will be returning to Carnegie Hall the third time in June 2018 for a solo performance. Piano has been a very important part of Michelle's life, and she has been considering becoming a professional pianist in the future.
Concerto No. 1, Op. 23, I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso by Peter Tchaikovsky
Michelle Qiu, age twelve, has been studying piano with Dr. Anna Ouspenskaya since the age of four. Michelle has won numerous awards at piano competitions since the age of five. She's a first prize winner at the American Fine Arts Festival Concerto Competition, Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association Piano Concerto Festival, and Great Composers Art of Piano Competitions. In 2016, she won the grand prize at the Malek Jandali International Piano Competition. She is also a prize winner at many other competitions, such as the American Protege Piano Competition, Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, Robert Spencer Piano Concerto Competition, IYAPC Piano Competition, YMIC International Piano Competition, and more. Michelle performed at the Kennedy Center for the Lang Lang: 101 Pianists concert when she was seven, and she made her debut at Carnegie Hall when she was nine. She will be returning to Carnegie Hall the third time in June 2018 for a solo performance. Piano has been a very important part of Michelle's life, and she has been considering becoming a professional pianist in the future.
Jane Liu, 3rd Prize & Audience Award
Final Round Performance Piece:
Concerto in G Major, I. Allegramente, by Maurice Ravel
Malvyn Lai started playing piano at age 5. At age 9, he performed his first public solo recital, which was featured on San Diego's Fox 5 evening news. He debuted as a soloist with the Kostroma Symphony orchestra in Russia at age 10 after winning the Grand Prize in the AFAF Concerto Competition. Since then, he has performed with Southern California's Inland Valley Symphony, Temecula Valley Symphony, and the Long Island Festival Orchestra in New York. Last year, Malvyn performed Chopin's Concerto No.2 with the Danube Symphony Orchestra in Hungary, with the Torino Symphony Orchestra in Poland, and with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra. He has won many awards in the International Piano Competitions and scholarships. Recently, he was invited to compete in the Steinway and Sons final concert in May. Malvyn is a regular participant at local charity concert programs. He performed at the Heart of a Child Concert to help raise awareness about cardiac care for children. During the news interview, he mentioned that he likes piano now "even more than when I was a kid, because I keep practicing and get to higher levels and can play more beautiful pieces and deliver the message of music to people in a better way than before."
Concerto in G Major, I. Allegramente, by Maurice Ravel
Malvyn Lai started playing piano at age 5. At age 9, he performed his first public solo recital, which was featured on San Diego's Fox 5 evening news. He debuted as a soloist with the Kostroma Symphony orchestra in Russia at age 10 after winning the Grand Prize in the AFAF Concerto Competition. Since then, he has performed with Southern California's Inland Valley Symphony, Temecula Valley Symphony, and the Long Island Festival Orchestra in New York. Last year, Malvyn performed Chopin's Concerto No.2 with the Danube Symphony Orchestra in Hungary, with the Torino Symphony Orchestra in Poland, and with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra. He has won many awards in the International Piano Competitions and scholarships. Recently, he was invited to compete in the Steinway and Sons final concert in May. Malvyn is a regular participant at local charity concert programs. He performed at the Heart of a Child Concert to help raise awareness about cardiac care for children. During the news interview, he mentioned that he likes piano now "even more than when I was a kid, because I keep practicing and get to higher levels and can play more beautiful pieces and deliver the message of music to people in a better way than before."
Charlotte Tang, Honorable Mention
Final Round Performance Piece:
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, I. Allegro affettuoso, by Robert Schumann
Eirena Li is a junior at Winston Churchill High School, and studies piano under Mrs. Hyun Park. Eirena has received first prize and other awards from a variety of prestigious competitions, including the Gertrude S. Brown Memorial Concerto Competition (Intermediate and Senior Divisions), Solo Festival, Ensemble Competition of the Maryland State Music Teachers Association; 2017 American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition; 2016 Knabe Piano Competition; and 2016 Music Fest Rising Talents (Grand Prix). She serves as an accompanist for Young Artists of America as well as her school orchestra. Eirena has been playing piano for over a decade, and her passion for music has driven her to become a successful musician both within and outside her piano teacher's influence. She hopes to continue piano throughout her college and adult life.
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, I. Allegro affettuoso, by Robert Schumann
Eirena Li is a junior at Winston Churchill High School, and studies piano under Mrs. Hyun Park. Eirena has received first prize and other awards from a variety of prestigious competitions, including the Gertrude S. Brown Memorial Concerto Competition (Intermediate and Senior Divisions), Solo Festival, Ensemble Competition of the Maryland State Music Teachers Association; 2017 American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition; 2016 Knabe Piano Competition; and 2016 Music Fest Rising Talents (Grand Prix). She serves as an accompanist for Young Artists of America as well as her school orchestra. Eirena has been playing piano for over a decade, and her passion for music has driven her to become a successful musician both within and outside her piano teacher's influence. She hopes to continue piano throughout her college and adult life.