Division 1 (ages 10-18)
Norman Lu, 1st Prize
Final Round Performance Piece:
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, S. 124, Mvts. 2-4 by Franz Liszt
Norman Lu is a 12-years-old 7th grader student at Oak Hill Middle School in Newton, MA. He started playing piano at the age of 4. Norman enjoys sharing his music in recitals and concerts and has given public performances in such venues as Boston Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Williams Hall Boston and Earl & Darielle Linehan Concert Hall. Noman has been honored to win top prizes of many local, regional and international competitions, including Grand Price of 2020 XI Hartford Chopin International Piano Competition, Steinway National Piano Competition, Radda Rise International Piano Competition, William Knabe International Piano Competition. Music has been an essential part of Noman’s life, and his music has brought joy to both himself and the people around him. Norman experienced a perspective changing event when a woman at a nursing home where he frequently performed confessed that his playing brought up some of her “best memories”. Norman is currently studying at New England Conservatory Prep school with Konstantinos Papadakis.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, S. 124, Mvts. 2-4 by Franz Liszt
Norman Lu is a 12-years-old 7th grader student at Oak Hill Middle School in Newton, MA. He started playing piano at the age of 4. Norman enjoys sharing his music in recitals and concerts and has given public performances in such venues as Boston Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Williams Hall Boston and Earl & Darielle Linehan Concert Hall. Noman has been honored to win top prizes of many local, regional and international competitions, including Grand Price of 2020 XI Hartford Chopin International Piano Competition, Steinway National Piano Competition, Radda Rise International Piano Competition, William Knabe International Piano Competition. Music has been an essential part of Noman’s life, and his music has brought joy to both himself and the people around him. Norman experienced a perspective changing event when a woman at a nursing home where he frequently performed confessed that his playing brought up some of her “best memories”. Norman is currently studying at New England Conservatory Prep school with Konstantinos Papadakis.
Ke Nicole Hu, 2nd Prize
Final Round Performance Piece:
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op 11, Mvt. 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Ke Nicole Hu was born in Pittsburgh in 2003. She began studying piano at age 6. She studied in Vancouver with Canadian pianist Ian Parker, who greatly diversified her musical palate and enriched her understanding of the instrument. As a boarding junior at St. Paul’s School, she studies at NEC Preparatory under Professor Victor Rosenbaum and is a member of the BYSO. She has won national and international competitions, including the Canadian Music Competition, Seattle International Music Competition, etc., and performed as a soloist with Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra and West Coast Symphony. She states that music has been an “integral part” of her identity. From performing with orchestras to practicing for three hours daily, music has brought her joy, opportunities, and allowed her to discover, liberate, express herself. Today, she performs not only for her own enjoyment, but to share the beauty and joy of music with her community and with the “imaginative universe that all writers, musicians, and artists share and co-create”.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op 11, Mvt. 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Ke Nicole Hu was born in Pittsburgh in 2003. She began studying piano at age 6. She studied in Vancouver with Canadian pianist Ian Parker, who greatly diversified her musical palate and enriched her understanding of the instrument. As a boarding junior at St. Paul’s School, she studies at NEC Preparatory under Professor Victor Rosenbaum and is a member of the BYSO. She has won national and international competitions, including the Canadian Music Competition, Seattle International Music Competition, etc., and performed as a soloist with Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra and West Coast Symphony. She states that music has been an “integral part” of her identity. From performing with orchestras to practicing for three hours daily, music has brought her joy, opportunities, and allowed her to discover, liberate, express herself. Today, she performs not only for her own enjoyment, but to share the beauty and joy of music with her community and with the “imaginative universe that all writers, musicians, and artists share and co-create”.
Conrad Flake, 3rd Prize
Final Round Performance Piece:
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21, Mvt. 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Conrad Flake is 14-years old and began studying piano at age 3. He has competed in various international and local competitions in Connecticut, Hong Kong, New York, Vienna, Austria, and most recently Utah. Some of Conrad’s most enjoyable highlights included performing at Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna, Temple Square Assembly Hall, and with the Utah Summer Arts Festival Orchestra at Libby Gardner Hall here in Utah. Conrad has had the privilege of studying with several wonderful teachers over the years and currently studies with Dr. Ning Lu. He previously studied with Svitlana Fiorito and Yoshie Akimoto in Connecticut, and Ms. Julie Kuok in Hong Kong. He states that piano has connected him to “many people from divers backgrounds” that he wouldn’t have otherwise known. Thus, piano has made him more appreciative and grateful.
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21, Mvt. 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Conrad Flake is 14-years old and began studying piano at age 3. He has competed in various international and local competitions in Connecticut, Hong Kong, New York, Vienna, Austria, and most recently Utah. Some of Conrad’s most enjoyable highlights included performing at Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna, Temple Square Assembly Hall, and with the Utah Summer Arts Festival Orchestra at Libby Gardner Hall here in Utah. Conrad has had the privilege of studying with several wonderful teachers over the years and currently studies with Dr. Ning Lu. He previously studied with Svitlana Fiorito and Yoshie Akimoto in Connecticut, and Ms. Julie Kuok in Hong Kong. He states that piano has connected him to “many people from divers backgrounds” that he wouldn’t have otherwise known. Thus, piano has made him more appreciative and grateful.
Sophia Lin, Honorable Mention
Final Round Performance Piece:
Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25, Mvt. 1 by Felix Mendelssohn
Sophia Lin is 14. She has won many international and national competitions and made her concerto debut with Amadeus Orchestra as the soloist at the age 12. In 2020, she won the 1st Place in the three Virginia State Competitions: State Concerto Competition, State MTNA Competition and State Audition. She is the 2021 MTNA Southern Division Finalist and 2020 MTNA Eastern Division Finalist. She won 1st Prize in Robert Spencer Concerto Competition twice in 2020 and 2019. She is also the 1st Place winner of the 2018 Ylda Novik Junior Competition, the 2nd Place winner of the 2020 AAMS Piano Competition, the 3rd-Place winner of the 2020 Washington Universial Piano Competition, 2019 William Knabe International Piano Competition and 2018 East Tennessee State University International Piano Competition. Sophia is a Semifinalists of the 2019 and 2021 LangLang International Piano Competition held in China. She frequently performs in venues such as Kennedy Center and many Community Centers in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC area. Sponsored by the Tacy Foundation COVID-19 Project, she performed virtually for seniors, patients, and medical staff. Her music recordings on CD were distributed to patients and seniors nationwide during the pandemic. She was featured at abc7 News.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25, Mvt. 1 by Felix Mendelssohn
Sophia Lin is 14. She has won many international and national competitions and made her concerto debut with Amadeus Orchestra as the soloist at the age 12. In 2020, she won the 1st Place in the three Virginia State Competitions: State Concerto Competition, State MTNA Competition and State Audition. She is the 2021 MTNA Southern Division Finalist and 2020 MTNA Eastern Division Finalist. She won 1st Prize in Robert Spencer Concerto Competition twice in 2020 and 2019. She is also the 1st Place winner of the 2018 Ylda Novik Junior Competition, the 2nd Place winner of the 2020 AAMS Piano Competition, the 3rd-Place winner of the 2020 Washington Universial Piano Competition, 2019 William Knabe International Piano Competition and 2018 East Tennessee State University International Piano Competition. Sophia is a Semifinalists of the 2019 and 2021 LangLang International Piano Competition held in China. She frequently performs in venues such as Kennedy Center and many Community Centers in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC area. Sponsored by the Tacy Foundation COVID-19 Project, she performed virtually for seniors, patients, and medical staff. Her music recordings on CD were distributed to patients and seniors nationwide during the pandemic. She was featured at abc7 News.