Emory University Young Artist Piano Competition

02/10/2024

We are reliving the moments of the live final round of the 2024 Emory Young Artist Piano Competition!

Christina Sung, 1st placeMunan Cheng, 2nd placeVictoria Bi, 3rd place

01/28/2024

Backstage fun with the 3 finalists and their support animals! Congratulations again on your incredible playing at the final round of the competition!

01/21/2024

We heard 12 extraordinary young pianists today at Emory University! We would like to congratulate them as well as their teachers, parents and guardians on their high level of playing and talent! Our jury had the difficult task to award the top 3 prizes; below is the list of winners.

Christina Sung, 1st place
Munan Cheng, 2nd place
Victoria Bi, 3rd place
Conrad Flake, HM
Jungmin Allison Kim, HM

01/20/2024

We heard a beautiful recital full of colors and imagination played by Dr. Sylvia Wang and had a great masterclass with Dr. David Kalhous. On to the Emory Young Artist Piano Competition - join us at 7PM today in Emerson Hall for the live final round!

01/18/2024

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Sylvia Wang to Emory Univeristy this weekend! Dr. Wang will perform a solo recital Friday, Jan 19 at 6PM in the Performing Arts Studio and judge the Emory Young Artist Piano Competition. The live final round open to the public will take place in Emerson Hall of the Schwartz Center at 7PM on Saturday, Jan. 20.

01/15/2024

Jungmin Allison Kim grew up in Fairfax, Virginia where she started playing the piano at the age of 5. She later moved to South Korea where she continued her piano studies and attended the Yewon Arts School. She then moved back to the US where she now attends Summit High School in New Jersey, and studies piano under Professor Julian Martin at the Juilliard Pre-College program.
During her time in Korea, she had her concerto debut at the age of 10 playing Mozart with the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, and had her solo recital debut at the age of 11 playing for the Kumho Prodigy Series at a packed Kumho Yonsei Art Hall. Since then, she has performed at many other venues, including the Auer Hall in Indiana University, Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, South Korea, Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and most recently at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall in the University of Miami for the Frost Chopin Festival 2023.
Jungmin is a 2024 YoungArts winner for piano. She achieved success at many other piano competitions, to include winning first place prizes at the 2020 Korea Steinway Competition, 2019 Korea Chopin Competition, 2018 Edward Auer Piano Workshop Solo Competition Junior Division, and was a finalist at the 2020 Ettlingen International Piano Competition.
Jungmin is a member of the Grace Chamber Music Youth Club, and recently gave a holiday music performance at the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with GiveYOUTH, reading books, and playing video games.

01/14/2024

Conrad Flake began his musical journey when he was three years old. He is a 12th grade student at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has competed in various international and national competitions. Conrad has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein Vienna, Assembly Hall in Temple Square, Rose Wagner Hall, and at Libby Gardner Hall, Salt Lake City Utah. He has also performed with the Salt Lake Symphony, American Fork Symphony and Utah Summer Arts Festival Orchestra. Conrad is currently studying with Dr. Ning Lu.
Conrad awards includes:
2023 MTNA Nationals 3rd place Piano Duet, 2023 Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Competition 1st Place Solo, 2023 University of Utah Summer Arts Piano Competition 1st Place Solo.
2022 MTNA 1st Place Southwest Division Piano Duet, 2022 MTNA Utah 3rd Place Solo, 2022 MTNA Utah 3rd Place Concerto, 2022 RADDA Rise International Piano Competition,Honorable Mention, Solo, 2022 University of Utah Summer Arts Piano Competition 2nd Place, Solo
2022 Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Competition 2nd Place, Solo, 2021 MTNA Utah Concerto, 1st Place, 2021 William Knabe International Piano Competition, 3rd Place Concerto , 2021 MTNA Utah Piano Honorable Mention, Solo, 2021 RADDA Rise International Piano Competition Honorable Mention, Solo. 2020 MTNA Nationals 3rd Place, Solo, MTNA Southwest Division 1st Place, Solo, 2020 Emory University Young Artist Finalist Solo, 2020 David Dubois Piano Festival Semifinalist, Solo, 2020 Gina Bachauer International Junior Piano Competition live round competitor. Conrad enjoys community outreach by performing music and music education to various students across schools in Utah through Gina Bachauer Piano Outreach. He volunteers for the Mundi Project as an ambassador and has performed music at various assisted living centers and local community events. He has also taught piano lessons to underserved children and adults through Harmony Hub music education in person as well as virtually during Covid. He also enjoys playing bass guitar and volunteers as an organist for a local congregation and accompanies her sister at her cello recitals. Conrad is on the high school swim and tennis team and he enjoys skiing and triathlons.

01/14/2024

Melvin Xu was born in Berkeley, CA in 2009, and he is currently a freshman in Johns Creek, GA. He began his piano study at the age of five. He has been a student with Anne Sun and Elena Cholakova. Some of Melvin’s recent musical achievements in piano include winning the Special Judges Award of the 2023 NLPA International Young Artists Competition, First Prize of the 2023 Bellagrande International Music Competition, and Conference Recitalist of the GMTA State Audition for three consecutive years. Melvin has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, and Marvin Cole Auditorium, etc. Melvin has a passion for classical music. In addition to the piano, Melvin is also a cellist in the Northview Chamber Orchestra.

01/14/2024

Beginning her journey through music and piano, Victoria Bi started learning piano at 3 and a half years old under the guidance of Yifan Liu at Studio for Piano Arts. Under Mr. Liu’s meticulous guidance and invaluable mentorship, her passion and interest in the instrument continue to expand.

During her piano studies, Victoria has received many awards at competitions worldwide. Most recently, she is the national winner in 2022-2023 MTNA national competition; 1st Prize in Texas State Competition held by TMTA in 2022; 3rd prize and the special Press award at the 11th International Piano Competition for Young Musicians in the Netherlands; 1st prize at the 2022 Young Artist Competition held by Fort Worth Symphony, which gave her the opportunity to perform with the Fort Worth Orchestra in the newly built WISD Performing Arts Center in Waxahachie, Texas in May; 3rd place at the 2022 Emory University Young Artist Piano Competition; 2nd place at the 2021 Houston International Music Competition; 1st place in the Concerto II Division at the 2021 Baylor-Waco Piano Competition, and many more. She has participated in the Dallas Symphonic Festival Competition and the Dallas Piano Solo Competition for many years with awards.

As a 15-year-old, music and piano took almost all of Victoria’s outside of school life. Even at her school, Victoria is frequently invited to perform in chapel, as well as various events. In her spare time, Victoria loves to make contributions to local charities, helping people in need in a variety of ways. She volunteered at the Mind-full of Music spread kindness through music in multiple senior living communities. She also made donations using her cash awards from piano competitions to different charity groups such as North Texas Food Bank, Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra (“DAAYO”) etc. She is a chamber member of DAAYO which has various programs that work to expose disadvantaged kids to music and music education and participated in various concerts with them

01/14/2024

Mingze Li began learning piano at age six and is currently studying with pianist Yury Shadrin. Mingze has always loved piano with a passion and is also doing wonderful academically. Mingze won several competitions, such as 2023 the Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition, 2021 & 2022 the Gertrude Brown Concerto Competition as well as many scholarships including one from the Music Teachers Association of Greater Baltimore and a full tuition scholarship from the Leon Fleisher Academy. He was invited to perform with Guangxi Symphony Orchestra in August 2023. He was also invited to perform in various musical events, such as the 2023 Cremona Music International Exhibition in Italy Cremona and the 2024 Annunciation Cathedral Concert series Baltimore.

Besides piano, Mingze plays the double bass and violin for the school orchestras, enjoys math, and loves learning new things.

01/14/2024

At just 13 years old, Christina Sung has emerged as a prodigious pianist in the world of classical music. She started playing piano at age 8 ½ and she is honing her skills under the expert guidance of Jihea Hong-Park at Brigham Young University. Christina's musical journey is highlighted by her orchestral debut with the Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall, a prestigious achievement she earned as the winner of the 2022 Salute to Youth Competition. In her blossoming career, Christina has amassed an array of competition wins that showcase her exceptional talent. Most recently, she triumphed in the MTNA Southwest Division Competition, securing a place in the 2024 National Finals in Atlanta, Georgia, this March. Additionally, she claimed victory in the 2023 Walgreens® National Concerto Competition. These accomplishments are further complemented by her First-place wins in several other prominent competitions. In 2023, she excelled in the International Keyboard Odyssiad® Concerto Competition, the Paderewski International Piano Competition, and the Medici International Music Competition. Her skills also earned her the Ebony Prize at the 2023 MTNA National Finals, following successes at the 2023 Southwest Division and the 2022 MTNA State level. Moreover, she garnered top honors in the 2023 ENKOR International Piano Competition and the 2023 IKOF Solo Competition. Her record of First-place finishes extends to the 2023 UMTA Concerto Competition, the 2023 Ogden Piano Festival Concerto Competition, the 2022 University of Utah Summer Arts Piano Competition in both the Solo and Concerto divisions, and the 2021 OPUS State Music Competition. Christina's excellence has led to opportunities to perform as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Utah Symphony, the American West Symphony, the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra Ogden, and the Utah Philharmonic Orchestra. She participated in the Southeastern Piano Festival and the International Keyboard Odyssiad® Festival. Christina’s repertoire and interview were featured on Classical 89 FM radio, and she also appeared on the ABC4 television show. In recognition of her dedication to community service through music, Christina was awarded the Gold Medal Prize of the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2022 and 2023. Outside of music, she is fluent in four languages and enjoys figure skating in her leisure time.

01/11/2024

Yo-Yo Qu, 13, is an 8th grader of Alice Landrum Middle School, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He is the first prize winner of the 2022 Florida Federation Music Clubs Junior Concerto Competition, 2022 Florida State Music Teachers Association Junior Concerto Competition, 2022 Chopin Foundation Florida Junior Chopin Prize, 2022 and 2023 Florida State MTNA Junior Piano Performance Competition, 2023 Oxana Yablonskaya Piano Institute Kovachevitsa Piano Festival Senior Group. He received 2024 University of Florida International Piano Festival Full Fellow Scholarship award. He studies with Professors Shigu Zhang, Shijun Wang, and Hsiang Tu. He took masterclasses with Professors Oxana Yablonskaya, Ran Dank, Soyeon Kate Lee, Tamila Azadaliyeva, Svetlana Vest, Elena Dabul, and Byeol Kim.

Yoyo Qu is also the National Junior Honor Society School President, Student Council Recording Secretary, Yearbook Section Editor, America Mensa society member, Mathcounts school team captain, and National Latin Honor Society member.

01/11/2024

Jangwon Moon is a junior at American School of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. He started playing piano at the age of 6 in South Korea. He participated in various national and international piano competitions in South Korea, Mongolia, Hong Kong, U.K. and U.S. under the direction of Saya Sangidorj, and won many awards. Jangwon has been playing in national hopitals in Mongolia to comfort patients and participated in various musical performances, such as the opening concert for the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
His other hobbies include playing tennis as the captain of the Ulaanbaatar Tennis Club junior team, and participating in mathematical competitions as the president of ASU’s Math olympiad team.

01/10/2024

Evan Dan, 15, is a Solon High School sophomore and has studied piano with Dr. Sean Schulze since 2016. Evan has been the winner for the Ohio state 2022 and 2023 MTNA Piano competitions as well as the 2022 OMTA Buckeye Piano Competition. In addition, he has received the first place award at the 2023 Thomas F. Hulbert International Solo Piano Competition, the 2022 Carmel Klavier International Concerto Piano Competition, as well as the second place award from the 2021 Frost Young Artist International Piano Competition. After winning the CIM Preparatory Concerto Competition, Evan made his debut as a soloist performing with the CIM Orchestra. Evan is also the co-founder for the organization Music4Connections. The group performs concerts at various nursing homes and has extended its performances to University Hospitals with the Connor Whole Health Healing Harmony program.

01/10/2024

Born in the Philippines, Thomas Sinclair (age 14) began his piano studies at the age of 5 while living in Japan. Since coming to Arkansas in 2018, Thomas began private studies with Kristen La Madrid and studied virtually for two years with Dr. Karen Taylor at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Young Pianist Program. He currently studies with Dr. Naoki Hakutani at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Thomas won First Prize at the University of Memphis International Piano Competition (2022, 2023), First Prize at the MTNA Arkansas Junior Piano Competition (2022, 2023), Alternate at the MTNA South Central Division Junior Piano Competition (2022), Winner at the MTNA South Central Division Junior Piano Competition (2023), and First Prize at the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Stella Boyle Smith Young Artist Concerto Competition (2022).

​Thomas has performed in master classes with Michelle Cann, Dr. Artina McCain and Dr. Robert Orr. In Summer 2023, he attended the University of Florida International Piano Festival and the Adamant Piano Festival in Vermont. Thomas has studied privately on the organ with Dr. Joshua Brown. Thomas has been homeschooling via an online, self-paced, College Prep High School Program. In 2020, Thomas was the Arkansas State Spelling Bee champion. Over the years Thomas has performed in countless recitals, 4 hand duets, has accompanied dancers, played with Choirs, and headlined several solo performances of his own.

01/10/2024

Munan Cheng, 16, is a senior at Valley Christian High School, San Jose, California. She currently studies with Dr. Sharon Mann. She is also a member of the Young Chamber Musicians
program in the Bay Area Munan is most recently a 2024 YoungArts Winner and a 2023-2024 scholarship recipient from the Chopin Foundation of the United States. She has attended the Gina Bachauer
International Piano Festival, Music@Menlo, and Piano Texas. Munan is also a member of Bay Area Youth Music Society, a non-profit community
service program through which she frequently plays at senior centers and fundraising concerts.

01/10/2024

We look forward to welcoming the 12 finalists at Emory University next weekend! Hope you will join us for the live final round of the 2024 Emory Young Artist Piano Competition on 1/20/2024 at 7PM in Emerson Hall of the Schwartz Center.

In the meantime you can read about these young pianists and their impressive accomplishments as we post their bios this week.

Lawrence Wen began piano lessons with Fei Xu at the age of five. As a third grader he won first place in the Steinway/Avanti Future Stars Piano Competition. Since then, Lawrence participated in various piano competitions both locally and statewide, winning top prizes each year. In 2019 he took the opportunity to study with his current teacher Hong Zhu, further advancing his technical skills and music appreciation. He won first prize for Piano Concerto in PYSO Young Musicians Competition in 2020, and second prize in 2021 Arizona Musicfest Division II Piano Competition. He was the Senior Piano Duet Representative in the MTNA state competition as well as the Alternate in the MTNA Southwest Division in 2022. During the year 2022, He won first place in three events: the Steinway/Avanti Future Stars Piano Competition, the EVMTA and DVMTA Piano Competitions. His latest achievement includes State Alternate for the Senior Solo Piano in the 2023 MTNA state competition, second place in Arizona Musicfest Division III Piano Competition, and first place in age 17-18 Category of the Arizona International Music Competition.
Having performed in Katzin Concert Hall at Arizona State University, the Music Theater at the Music Instruments Museum, the local Senior Centers, as well as private homes, Lawrence made his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 16, after winning the American Protégé Piano and Strings Competition.
Currently a Junior at the Desert Vista High School, Lawrence is the valedictorian of Class 2025, and a leader in his high school swimming team with the Tempe All-City Athlete Award in 2023.