Division 1 (ages 7-9)
Ella Si, 1st Prize
Final Round Performance Piece:
Sonatina No. 6 in C Major, Allegro, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ella has studied piano with Dr. Svetlana Volkova since September 2017. She has participated in several city, county, and state level competitions, music festivals, and piano recitals, having several first place prizes under her belt. Ella is passionate about playing piano and has shown great understanding for her age with mature interpretation and shaping of melody.
Sonatina No. 6 in C Major, Allegro, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ella has studied piano with Dr. Svetlana Volkova since September 2017. She has participated in several city, county, and state level competitions, music festivals, and piano recitals, having several first place prizes under her belt. Ella is passionate about playing piano and has shown great understanding for her age with mature interpretation and shaping of melody.
Cameron Hoang, 2nd Prize
Final Round Performance Piece:
Northwoods Toccata by Carol Klose
Cameron Hoang has been playing piano for four of her nine years and is a student of Mrs. Silva Blazquez. Cameron has competed in many competitions and won first place in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Piano Concerto Festival, NVMTA Piano Ensemble Competition, Bland Music Competition, first place in the Washington Music Teachers Association (WMTA) Modern Piano Music Celebration, and received honors from the NVMTA Bach and Baroque Competition.
Northwoods Toccata by Carol Klose
Cameron Hoang has been playing piano for four of her nine years and is a student of Mrs. Silva Blazquez. Cameron has competed in many competitions and won first place in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Piano Concerto Festival, NVMTA Piano Ensemble Competition, Bland Music Competition, first place in the Washington Music Teachers Association (WMTA) Modern Piano Music Celebration, and received honors from the NVMTA Bach and Baroque Competition.
Aria McCloskey, 3rd Prize & Audience Award
Final Round Performance Piece:
Waltz in B Minor, Op. 69 No. 2 by Fédéric Chopin
Aria McCloskey is a nine-year old fourth grader at Stoneleigh Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland. She has been studying piano with Dr. Seungmin Paik since she was five years old. Aria placed first at the 33rd International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington, D.C. and had the honor of performing at the Kennedy Center. She has also won awards at the Maryland State Music Teachers Association Spring Festival and the Miriam Shields Gottlieb Memorial Piano Competition. Music allows Aria to channel her energy into something “creative and rewarding,” and she loves to perform for others. In addition to learning piano, she also studies cello with Bai Chi Chen and plays the double tenor drum in her school’s steel drum band. Aria’s favorite composer is J.S. Bach. Her other interests include reading, science, birdwatching, chess, filmmaking, and writing stories.
Waltz in B Minor, Op. 69 No. 2 by Fédéric Chopin
Aria McCloskey is a nine-year old fourth grader at Stoneleigh Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland. She has been studying piano with Dr. Seungmin Paik since she was five years old. Aria placed first at the 33rd International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington, D.C. and had the honor of performing at the Kennedy Center. She has also won awards at the Maryland State Music Teachers Association Spring Festival and the Miriam Shields Gottlieb Memorial Piano Competition. Music allows Aria to channel her energy into something “creative and rewarding,” and she loves to perform for others. In addition to learning piano, she also studies cello with Bai Chi Chen and plays the double tenor drum in her school’s steel drum band. Aria’s favorite composer is J.S. Bach. Her other interests include reading, science, birdwatching, chess, filmmaking, and writing stories.
Izel Gómez Calderón, Honorable Mention
Final Round Performance Piece:
Sonatina in F Major Anh. 5, No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven
Izel has been surrounded by music since he was born. He started discovering melodies from the songs he sang with his mother at the piano when he was two years old. He started taking Piano lessons with his mentor Ludmila Melzer when he turned four. Izel was awarded first prize at the International Online Piano Competition in Belgrade, Serbia in 2017 and second prize at the International Concerto Competition in the American Fine Arts Festival in 2018. He was part of the Teatro al Mediodia at the National Theater in Costa Rica in 2017. He has presented his talents in halls such as Eugene O'Neill, Auditorium Clodomiro Picado, Sala Richter, and the Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall.
Sonatina in F Major Anh. 5, No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven
Izel has been surrounded by music since he was born. He started discovering melodies from the songs he sang with his mother at the piano when he was two years old. He started taking Piano lessons with his mentor Ludmila Melzer when he turned four. Izel was awarded first prize at the International Online Piano Competition in Belgrade, Serbia in 2017 and second prize at the International Concerto Competition in the American Fine Arts Festival in 2018. He was part of the Teatro al Mediodia at the National Theater in Costa Rica in 2017. He has presented his talents in halls such as Eugene O'Neill, Auditorium Clodomiro Picado, Sala Richter, and the Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall.