2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition
Winners Biography
2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition
Calissa Poon - Platinum Medalist (Absolute First Prize) - Piano - Junior Performer Category - Hong Kong SAR
Calissa started playing the piano at 3 and was admitted to the Junior Music Program at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts majoring in piano at the age of 5. She has attained distinction in ABRSM Grade 8 in Piano and Vocal at the age of 9. Calissa has received numerous prizes in local, regional and international piano competitions, including championships in the 68 th -71 st Hong Kong Schools’ Music Festival consecutively, and third place in the Piano Junior Exhibitor Award of the 73 rd Music Festival. She was the winner in various classes of the 2021 Hong Kong International Music and Art Festival Global Finals. Internationally, she was awarded champion of the Antonio Vivaldi Vienna International Competition under 12 category (2019) in Vienna, champions of the 2019 Chopin Memorial Prizes Hong Kong International Piano Open Competition in the Open Class (Waltz) and under 12 category. She was also the Gold Prize winner of 2019 Asia Music Competition for Young Artists in Busan, Korea. In 2021, she was awarded the Platinum Absolute First Prize Award in Composition of the 2021 Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition of Canada, Champion in the London Young Musicians Competition (Chamber Music) and Lugano Concert Prize of the Swiss International Music Competition.
Calissa Poon - Platinum Medalist (Absolute First Prize) - Piano - Junior Performer Category - Hong Kong SAR
Calissa started playing the piano at 3 and was admitted to the Junior Music Program at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts majoring in piano at the age of 5. She has attained distinction in ABRSM Grade 8 in Piano and Vocal at the age of 9. Calissa has received numerous prizes in local, regional and international piano competitions, including championships in the 68 th -71 st Hong Kong Schools’ Music Festival consecutively, and third place in the Piano Junior Exhibitor Award of the 73 rd Music Festival. She was the winner in various classes of the 2021 Hong Kong International Music and Art Festival Global Finals. Internationally, she was awarded champion of the Antonio Vivaldi Vienna International Competition under 12 category (2019) in Vienna, champions of the 2019 Chopin Memorial Prizes Hong Kong International Piano Open Competition in the Open Class (Waltz) and under 12 category. She was also the Gold Prize winner of 2019 Asia Music Competition for Young Artists in Busan, Korea. In 2021, she was awarded the Platinum Absolute First Prize Award in Composition of the 2021 Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition of Canada, Champion in the London Young Musicians Competition (Chamber Music) and Lugano Concert Prize of the Swiss International Music Competition.
Clarisse Poon - Platinum Medalist (Absolute First Prize) - Piano - Junior Performer Category - Hong Kong
Clarisse was admitted to the Junior Music Program of the Hong Kong Academy for
Performing Arts, majoring in Piano at the age of 5. She has achieved Grade 8 Distinction in Piano, Percussion and Vocal at the age of 8, and Distinction in ATCL Diploma for Piano Performance at 11. She has won numerous prizes in local and regional piano competitions, including championships in the 68th - 73rd Schools Music Festival, the Hong Kong International Music Competition, Asian Youth Music Competition and the Asia-Pacific Hong Kong Youth Piano Competition. Internationally, she was awarded 1 st runner up in the Antonio Vivaldi Vienna International Competition under 12 category (2019) in Vienna and Winner of the Busan International Piano Competition (2019) in Korea. More recently, she was awarded the Platinum Absolute Prize at the Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition 2021 of Canada (Piano - Junior Division) and the Piano Vertu Music Prize (Ex
Aqueo). At school, Clarisse receives training under the Program for Musically Gifted since primary 5. She is also a member of the Pianist Chamber, Wind Band, Debating Team and Swimming Team of her school.
Diana Schnürpel/ Stojan Krkuleski - Platinum Medalists
Artist Category (Ensemble) - Germany
Diana Schnürpel was born into a musical family. In 2001, she graduated with distinction in
piano and began singing studies at the Choral Academy in Moscow with the opera singer
Nina Rautio. She then studied opera singing at the “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” University
of Music and Theatre in Leipzig with Regina Werner-Dietrich. Schnürpel made her stage
debut in Germany with the role of the Bride in Les Noces by Igor Stravinsky at the Ruhr
Piano Festival in Duisburg in July 2013. Afterwards she sang the part of the Queen of the
Night on the Magic Flute in numerous houses. For the roles Gepopo in György Ligeti’s Le Grande Macabre and the title role of Maria Stuarda by Gaetano Donizetti, she received attention in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons, and her great and unique coloration combined with the warm sound of her voice was attested.
Stojan Krkuleski, born 1986 in Belgrade, studied at the Faculty of Musical Arts in Belgrade with Ante Grgin and at the University of Music in Basel with François Benda. He has been successful in many international competitions: Marco Fiorindo in Turin, Jeunesses Musicales in Belgrade, ARD International Music Competition. Stojan Krkuleski gained orchestral experience with the Serbian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, the National Theatre Opera Orchestra in Belgrade and as an intern with the Berne Symphony Orchestra.
Since May 2014 he has been the solo clarinetist of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra and member of the rehearsal commission. In addition to recitals, he has performed as a soloist with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Basel Chamber Orchestra.
Eunhyang Choi - Platinum Medalist - Artist Category (Piano) - South Korea
Euhyang Choi will make you fall in love with classical music”, By bringing personal and fresh touch into the classical piano repertoire, including own compositions or innovative projects, Eunhyang Choi breaks the barriers and invites her audiences on an emotional journey.
She studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in Russia and New York with Russian pianists( Vladimir poliakoff who studied with Gregory Sokolov) and Nina lelchuk who studied with Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Mihail Pletnev, the best Russian pianists in existence. Her musical roots and identity are heralded by the genealogy of ‘Cherny-Liszt-Zilotti-Igumnov-Polyer-Blysenko-Pletine’: from Beethoven to western Europe,the representative pianism of Russia.
She won the gold medal at world classical, Trinity, Grand maestro, Global genius ,Global international, North American, Quebec, Grand Prize Virtuso in Austria and bronze at Music and star awards, Carlos and sophia in Spain,Haneum,the New artist of onstage in South Korea, the 5th Krystian Tkaczewski International Competition and the V Future Stars International Competition, and is currently performing in Russia, the United States, and Korea. She will continue to study with Professor Jerome Rose of Mannes (The New School) in New York and perform in Europe, South Korea and USA.
Jozsef Terek - Gold Medalist - Artist Category (Tarogato) - Hungary
Jozsef Terek is an outstanding Hungarian performer, and a popular musician of the Hungarian folk art scene appearing both in ‘Kivansagkosar’ show on Duna TV and on Danko Radio. His musical career started 30 years ago in his hometown, Tapioszele, but since then, he has performed on stages throughout Europe, America, Africa, Oceania and Asia, and also represented Hungary in 36 other countries performing at various world music festivals, theatres, universities, competitions for composers as well as professional conferences. He is also a multiple nominee of the UK Songwriting Contest and a multiple finalist of the International Songwriting competition representing his home country performing his own compositions. As a result of saving cultural values, there have been 25 CDs and a DVD-ROM released, and 13 books published since 2009. His career as a soloist began in 2015 with the release of ‘Tarogato as a Hungaricum’. Paying great respect to the symbol of Hungarians as well as to the performers of tarogato (Turkish pipe or taragot), he launched a series of concerts titled ‘Tarogato Hungaricum’ aimed at showing the versatility of this musical instrument. One can listen to Rakoczi marches, the songs found in old Hungarian codices, verbunkos music, authentic folk music, Hungarian melodies, classical music, and popular pieces performed at these concerts. By incorporating his own pieces and renditions into the pieces, he has a unique musical program worthy of representing Hungary on the international scene.
„As a wedding present in 2009, an ethnic Hungarian refugee forced to leave the country in1956 gave me an original, almost hundred-year-old Stowasser-made tarogato. His request was that I should play it, represent the case for tarogatos, never resell it to anyone, but in the course of time donate to someone worthy of having it, so that the sound of tarogatos should never fall silent and die away, as this is the sound of the Hungarian nation and, as such, the past, present and future of the entire nation. Promoting the case of our “Hungarikum” musical instrument, the tarogato began internationally in 2016. In the past few years my goal has always been to find of way how I can show people from any country in the world that there is an instrument which is unique to Hungary, can only be found in the Carpathian Basin, and can erve the purpose of creating Hungarian and international tunes so as to make them popular and easy to be embraced by all. The concert material was adapted to this goal. In addition to Hungarian tunes and dances found in Hungarian codices, notas from the Rakoczi era, Hungarian notas, pieces of gypsy music, folk music and classical music complement the material together with virtuoso solo pieces. Musical pieces by great Hungarian composers, including Bela Bartok, Zoltán Kodaly, Janos Bihari, Janos Lavotta, etc. that can be performed on tarogatos can also be heard here; and they are complemented by my own pieces – so far 50 have been ready – composed expressly for the tarogato in a folk music and gypsy band style, and for a tarogato-piano duet, respectively. Upon requests made by several embassies, Hungarian institutes, international conferences, universities, festivals, I have managed to extensively introduce our “Hungarikum”musical instrument, the tarogato in the past five years in twenty different countries during almost forty trips, and in approximately one hundred venues. Interest in the events and the instrument has been exceptionally high, as it shows that we, Hungarians can find or provide something new in this area, perhaps another interface between countries. As a result, I have personally managed to communicate the sound of the tarogato and our “Hungarikum” tarogato concert to nearly ten thousand people – these events include one or two popular tunes of the particular country performed for the audience, thus indicating that our musical instrument can be used to perform the music of foreign countries, and we are open to the world as regards all of its musical genres and styles, respectively. The sound of the tarogato has reached hundreds of millions of people all around the world via broadcast media upon my works being published and advertised in interviews, concert recordings, TV and radio programs, and online newspapers and newsfeeds,
respectively.” "Whenever the sound of the tarogato starts playing somewhere int he world, the hearts of the Hungarians are in perfect sync with it.”
International Awards:
2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition – First place winner (Gold medal) – Montréal, Canada
2021 XXI. International Online Contest Digi-Talenty SWIETA 2021 - Laureate 1st Prize - Swidnica, Poland
2021 II. International Competition and Festival of Arts „Grand Online Eurofest 2021” – Laureate 1st Prize – Prague, Czech Republic
2021 International Art Festival „Bright Talents of Winter” – 1st Prize Winner - Ukraine
2021 II. International Competition and Festival of Arts „Copenhagen stars 2021” – Laureate 1st Prize – Copenhagen, Denmark
2021 XII. Europe Online Music Competition – Laureate of the 1st Prize – Belgrade, Serbia
2021 Music & Stars Award – Gold Star Award – Tallin, Estonia
2021 Sopravista Olympic Art Games „Winter Edition” – Laureate 1st Degree – Riccione,
Italy
2021 The North International Music Competition – 1st Prize Winner – Stockholm, Sweden
2021 II. International Competition and Festival of Arts „Vienna Stars 2021” – 1st Prize
Winner – Vienna, Austria
2021 Jean Sibelius Fest Online Music Competition – 2nd Place – Turku, Finland
2021 V. International Competition and Festival of Music, Dance and Vocal - Magic Bridges
of Budapest - Laureate 1st Prize - Budapest, Hungary
2021 International Festival Online Competition & the Brazilian Sun- 1st Prize Winner - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2021 International Festival Online Competition „Argentine Gathering” – 1st Prize winner – Buenos Aires, Argentina
2021 International Moscow Music Online Competition - 1st Prize Winner – Moscow, Russia
2021 XI. World Championship of Folklore- World Folk 2021- Laureate 1st Prize - Nessebar, Bulgaria
2021 International Youth Music Competition World Music - Grand Prix Award" - Atlanta,
USA
2021 V. International Music and Dance FestivalFriends in Moscow - 1st Grade Laureate
and Grand Prix – Moscow, Russia
2021 International Festival Online Competition American charm - 1st Prize Diploma - New
York, USA
2021 VII. Odin International Music Online Competition - 2nd Prize Diploma - Tallin, Estonia
2021 III. Danubia Talents Liszt International Music Competition - 1st Prize Diploma -
Budapest, Hungary
2021 SWISS International Music Competition - 1st Prize Diploma - Lugano, Switzerland
2021 XIX. International Music Competition Digi-Talenty LATO 2021 - Laureate 1st Prize - Swidnica, Poland
2021 International Art Festival & Contest Talents of Europe - 1st Prize Diploma - Lloret de
Mar, Spain
2021 International Contest - American Edition - Grand Prix Award - New York, USA
2021 International Online Contest- Music Box- 1st Prize Diploma - London, UK
2021 3rd International Arts Festival & Lugoj Melos Fest - Grand Prix Award - Lugoj,
Romania
2021 International Festival Online Competition Under the Skies of Australia - 1st Prize
Diploma - Sydney, Australia
2021 Charleston International Music Competition - European Music Competition - 1st Prize
Winner Award, Most Exceptional Performer Award - Charleston, USA
2021 World Open Music Competition - Laureate of the 1st Prize diploma - Belgrade, Serbia
2021 XIII. European Championship of Folklore- Euro Folk 2021-- Laureate 1st degree - Nessebar, Bulgaria
2021 International Musicians Competition Online -Music Symphony of St. Petersburg- Laureate 1st Prize Certificate, Gold medal – St. Petersburg, Russia
2021Asia Folk 2021 - 1st Grade Diploma Winner – Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2021 3rd International Arts Festival - Magic Sounds of Romania - Grand Prix Award -
Constanta, Romania
2021 International Festival Online Competition „Portugal Art Carnaval” – 1st Prize Diploma
– Lisbon, Portugal
2021 The 19th International Competition and Festival of Arts „Les Étoiles De Paris 2021” – Laureate 1st Diploma – Paris, France
2021 VI. World Cup of Folklore – Laureate 1st degree - Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2021 International Art Media ContestWorld Art Games- 1st Prize Diploma - Lloret de
Mar, Spain
2021 XVII. International Online Contest- Digi-Talenty Wiosna 2021” – Laureate 1st Diploma
- Swidnica, Poland
2021 International Online Music Festival - CYBERART 2021” – Laureate 1st Degree –
Prague, Czech Republic
2021 International Festival Competition- Paints of the Spanish Sun” – 1st Prize Diploma -
Barcelona, Spain
2021 Italia 2021 – Laureate 1st Diploma – Milan, Italy
2021 - I. International Music Moscow Competition – Laureate of the 1st Prize Diploma, Gold
medal – Moscow, Russia
2021 International Online Contest - Future Stars - Laureate 1st Degree - Riccione, Italy
2021 Distinguished Scholar Award (Worldwide)
2020 Value & Quality Award – Budapest, Hungary
UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certificates (UK)
Manhattan International Music Competition – Diploma of appreciation (USA)
Vienna International Music Competition – Diploma of appreciation (Austria)
Global Music Award – Silver Music Award (USA)
82. Research World International Conference - Excellence paper and presentation
Award – Manila, Philippines
Medallion of the Atheneo de Davao University – Davao, Philippines
2019 UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certification (UK)
Global Music Award – Silver Medal Winner (USA)
2018 UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certification (UK)
„XXV. Kunovské Léto” CIOFF Festival Music Award – Kunovice, Czech Republic
Certificate of Appreciation (University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines
– Manila, Philippines)
2017 Indie International Songwriting Contest – 2nd place
2016 UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certification (UK)
2015 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist (Nashville, USA)
2010 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist (Nashville, USA)
2009 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist (Nashville, USA)
Jozsef Terek is an outstanding Hungarian performer, and a popular musician of the Hungarian folk art scene appearing both in ‘Kivansagkosar’ show on Duna TV and on Danko Radio. His musical career started 30 years ago in his hometown, Tapioszele, but since then, he has performed on stages throughout Europe, America, Africa, Oceania and Asia, and also represented Hungary in 36 other countries performing at various world music festivals, theatres, universities, competitions for composers as well as professional conferences. He is also a multiple nominee of the UK Songwriting Contest and a multiple finalist of the International Songwriting competition representing his home country performing his own compositions. As a result of saving cultural values, there have been 25 CDs and a DVD-ROM released, and 13 books published since 2009. His career as a soloist began in 2015 with the release of ‘Tarogato as a Hungaricum’. Paying great respect to the symbol of Hungarians as well as to the performers of tarogato (Turkish pipe or taragot), he launched a series of concerts titled ‘Tarogato Hungaricum’ aimed at showing the versatility of this musical instrument. One can listen to Rakoczi marches, the songs found in old Hungarian codices, verbunkos music, authentic folk music, Hungarian melodies, classical music, and popular pieces performed at these concerts. By incorporating his own pieces and renditions into the pieces, he has a unique musical program worthy of representing Hungary on the international scene.
„As a wedding present in 2009, an ethnic Hungarian refugee forced to leave the country in1956 gave me an original, almost hundred-year-old Stowasser-made tarogato. His request was that I should play it, represent the case for tarogatos, never resell it to anyone, but in the course of time donate to someone worthy of having it, so that the sound of tarogatos should never fall silent and die away, as this is the sound of the Hungarian nation and, as such, the past, present and future of the entire nation. Promoting the case of our “Hungarikum” musical instrument, the tarogato began internationally in 2016. In the past few years my goal has always been to find of way how I can show people from any country in the world that there is an instrument which is unique to Hungary, can only be found in the Carpathian Basin, and can erve the purpose of creating Hungarian and international tunes so as to make them popular and easy to be embraced by all. The concert material was adapted to this goal. In addition to Hungarian tunes and dances found in Hungarian codices, notas from the Rakoczi era, Hungarian notas, pieces of gypsy music, folk music and classical music complement the material together with virtuoso solo pieces. Musical pieces by great Hungarian composers, including Bela Bartok, Zoltán Kodaly, Janos Bihari, Janos Lavotta, etc. that can be performed on tarogatos can also be heard here; and they are complemented by my own pieces – so far 50 have been ready – composed expressly for the tarogato in a folk music and gypsy band style, and for a tarogato-piano duet, respectively. Upon requests made by several embassies, Hungarian institutes, international conferences, universities, festivals, I have managed to extensively introduce our “Hungarikum”musical instrument, the tarogato in the past five years in twenty different countries during almost forty trips, and in approximately one hundred venues. Interest in the events and the instrument has been exceptionally high, as it shows that we, Hungarians can find or provide something new in this area, perhaps another interface between countries. As a result, I have personally managed to communicate the sound of the tarogato and our “Hungarikum” tarogato concert to nearly ten thousand people – these events include one or two popular tunes of the particular country performed for the audience, thus indicating that our musical instrument can be used to perform the music of foreign countries, and we are open to the world as regards all of its musical genres and styles, respectively. The sound of the tarogato has reached hundreds of millions of people all around the world via broadcast media upon my works being published and advertised in interviews, concert recordings, TV and radio programs, and online newspapers and newsfeeds,
respectively.” "Whenever the sound of the tarogato starts playing somewhere int he world, the hearts of the Hungarians are in perfect sync with it.”
International Awards:
2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition – First place winner (Gold medal) – Montréal, Canada
2021 XXI. International Online Contest Digi-Talenty SWIETA 2021 - Laureate 1st Prize - Swidnica, Poland
2021 II. International Competition and Festival of Arts „Grand Online Eurofest 2021” – Laureate 1st Prize – Prague, Czech Republic
2021 International Art Festival „Bright Talents of Winter” – 1st Prize Winner - Ukraine
2021 II. International Competition and Festival of Arts „Copenhagen stars 2021” – Laureate 1st Prize – Copenhagen, Denmark
2021 XII. Europe Online Music Competition – Laureate of the 1st Prize – Belgrade, Serbia
2021 Music & Stars Award – Gold Star Award – Tallin, Estonia
2021 Sopravista Olympic Art Games „Winter Edition” – Laureate 1st Degree – Riccione,
Italy
2021 The North International Music Competition – 1st Prize Winner – Stockholm, Sweden
2021 II. International Competition and Festival of Arts „Vienna Stars 2021” – 1st Prize
Winner – Vienna, Austria
2021 Jean Sibelius Fest Online Music Competition – 2nd Place – Turku, Finland
2021 V. International Competition and Festival of Music, Dance and Vocal - Magic Bridges
of Budapest - Laureate 1st Prize - Budapest, Hungary
2021 International Festival Online Competition & the Brazilian Sun- 1st Prize Winner - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2021 International Festival Online Competition „Argentine Gathering” – 1st Prize winner – Buenos Aires, Argentina
2021 International Moscow Music Online Competition - 1st Prize Winner – Moscow, Russia
2021 XI. World Championship of Folklore- World Folk 2021- Laureate 1st Prize - Nessebar, Bulgaria
2021 International Youth Music Competition World Music - Grand Prix Award" - Atlanta,
USA
2021 V. International Music and Dance FestivalFriends in Moscow - 1st Grade Laureate
and Grand Prix – Moscow, Russia
2021 International Festival Online Competition American charm - 1st Prize Diploma - New
York, USA
2021 VII. Odin International Music Online Competition - 2nd Prize Diploma - Tallin, Estonia
2021 III. Danubia Talents Liszt International Music Competition - 1st Prize Diploma -
Budapest, Hungary
2021 SWISS International Music Competition - 1st Prize Diploma - Lugano, Switzerland
2021 XIX. International Music Competition Digi-Talenty LATO 2021 - Laureate 1st Prize - Swidnica, Poland
2021 International Art Festival & Contest Talents of Europe - 1st Prize Diploma - Lloret de
Mar, Spain
2021 International Contest - American Edition - Grand Prix Award - New York, USA
2021 International Online Contest- Music Box- 1st Prize Diploma - London, UK
2021 3rd International Arts Festival & Lugoj Melos Fest - Grand Prix Award - Lugoj,
Romania
2021 International Festival Online Competition Under the Skies of Australia - 1st Prize
Diploma - Sydney, Australia
2021 Charleston International Music Competition - European Music Competition - 1st Prize
Winner Award, Most Exceptional Performer Award - Charleston, USA
2021 World Open Music Competition - Laureate of the 1st Prize diploma - Belgrade, Serbia
2021 XIII. European Championship of Folklore- Euro Folk 2021-- Laureate 1st degree - Nessebar, Bulgaria
2021 International Musicians Competition Online -Music Symphony of St. Petersburg- Laureate 1st Prize Certificate, Gold medal – St. Petersburg, Russia
2021Asia Folk 2021 - 1st Grade Diploma Winner – Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2021 3rd International Arts Festival - Magic Sounds of Romania - Grand Prix Award -
Constanta, Romania
2021 International Festival Online Competition „Portugal Art Carnaval” – 1st Prize Diploma
– Lisbon, Portugal
2021 The 19th International Competition and Festival of Arts „Les Étoiles De Paris 2021” – Laureate 1st Diploma – Paris, France
2021 VI. World Cup of Folklore – Laureate 1st degree - Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2021 International Art Media ContestWorld Art Games- 1st Prize Diploma - Lloret de
Mar, Spain
2021 XVII. International Online Contest- Digi-Talenty Wiosna 2021” – Laureate 1st Diploma
- Swidnica, Poland
2021 International Online Music Festival - CYBERART 2021” – Laureate 1st Degree –
Prague, Czech Republic
2021 International Festival Competition- Paints of the Spanish Sun” – 1st Prize Diploma -
Barcelona, Spain
2021 Italia 2021 – Laureate 1st Diploma – Milan, Italy
2021 - I. International Music Moscow Competition – Laureate of the 1st Prize Diploma, Gold
medal – Moscow, Russia
2021 International Online Contest - Future Stars - Laureate 1st Degree - Riccione, Italy
2021 Distinguished Scholar Award (Worldwide)
2020 Value & Quality Award – Budapest, Hungary
UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certificates (UK)
Manhattan International Music Competition – Diploma of appreciation (USA)
Vienna International Music Competition – Diploma of appreciation (Austria)
Global Music Award – Silver Music Award (USA)
82. Research World International Conference - Excellence paper and presentation
Award – Manila, Philippines
Medallion of the Atheneo de Davao University – Davao, Philippines
2019 UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certification (UK)
Global Music Award – Silver Medal Winner (USA)
2018 UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certification (UK)
„XXV. Kunovské Léto” CIOFF Festival Music Award – Kunovice, Czech Republic
Certificate of Appreciation (University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines
– Manila, Philippines)
2017 Indie International Songwriting Contest – 2nd place
2016 UK Songwriting Competition – Finalist Certification (UK)
2015 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist (Nashville, USA)
2010 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist (Nashville, USA)
2009 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist (Nashville, USA)
David Modiga - Platinum Medalist - Violin - Young Artist Category - Romania
David Modiga was born on September 21, 2003 in Târgu Mureș, Mureș County,
Romania. At the moment, he is a student in the 12th grade at the Târgu Mureș Arts High school studying violin with professor Mariana Sabina Negrut, wanting to continue his artistic career at the Gheorghe Dima ; National Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca. He has participated in numerous national and international competitions, among which we mention "Remember Enescu International Competition, Erich Bergel - Dorothy Kitchen International Competition and the National Instrumental Interpretation Competition.
He also won first prize at the 2021 International Nouvelles Etoiles Competition in Paris, first prize at the 2022 Canadian International Music Competition in Montreal, Canada, and third prize at the 2021 International Moscow Music Competition in Russia. He has a varied repertoire, including works from all musical styles and periods, from J. S. Bach and Veracini to Enescu and Prokofiev.
Assawongrat Assarangchai - Platinum Medalist - Rising Star Category (Traditional Flute) - Thailand
My name is Assawongrat Assarangchai, my nickname is Kvin. I was born in Bangkok, Thailand. I am 11 years old, being Thai and I am buddhist.
I have started to learn music from MCGP Music College Mahidol University Seacon Square at the age of 5, starting from a small children's music group, to piano, vocal, flute and Thai flute. With the love in wind instrument I can still play Chinese flute (dizi) as well.
As to extend my knowledge in Thai flute, my favorite instrument, I have further my study with Master Naraphat phabanjongjit, my teacher. He is Thailand Cultural Ambassador who has lots of experience in playing and composing contemporary Thai music.
For me, I will practice everyday with warm up exercise and follow by the song. I love world music playing with Thai flute. As it is one way to disseminating Thai music and culture.
Currently, my teacher is composing a wonderful song for me in an album. It is the world music album under United Nation's project. The song is telling the story about Queen Maya of Sakya (Mahamaya), who is the mother of Gautama Buddha. The album will be launched in South Korea on Visakhabucha Day next year. And later will be published in many countries.
For me, I have participated in some international music competitions as followed :
21st July 2021 : Shining Star Prize in Class A for Woodwind competition from Sugree Charoensook International Music Competition.
27th October 2021 : Shining Star Prize in Class A for World Music and Traditional Instrument from Sugree Charoensook International Music Competition.
1st December 2021: 1st Prize Winner for Traditional Music from IMKA international Music Competition
14th December 2021: Gold Star Winner -Wind C
Traditional Music from Music & Star Awards
New Year competition 2022: 21st Century Talent
Traditional Music (Thai Flute)
Advanced (Difficult, Highly competitive Level)
First Place Winner
Audience Award Winner
7th January 2022 : Platinum Award
Traditional Music - Thai Flute from Canadian International Music Competition
Hsin-Yu Tuan - Platinum Medalist - Young Artist Category (Piano) - Taiwan
Hsin-Yu, Tuan, age 17 studies with Prof. Grace Chung in Taiwan, Prof. James Brawn , Prof. Piotr Tomasz, Dr. Jenny Chai, Dr. Niccolo Athens in Shanghai. Hsin-Yu has won many awards since she was 8 years old.
I am a passionate student of the music world and wish that I would like to achieve my goal as a pianist. Music brings joy to my life and I am completely grateful that I have amazing people supporting me and encouraging me. I’ve won a few awards in the past but this award is definitely my dream to enter. Winning this competition would bring incredible honors to me. Performing in the Carnegie Hall would bring pride and the reassurance that I am capable of showing my music skills to this world. I would like to show my community that music is extremely important in the world around us. I would like to show people that music brings different emotions that them would not b able to feel on a regular basis. My Love for music is very different from the people around me. I can not imagine my life without the amazing power of MUSIC.
William Jin, Young Artist Category, Platinum Medal, Piano, U.S.A.
William Jin is 15 years old and a 10th grader in the Pianist program at Orange County School of the Arts in California. William started to learn piano and cello at the age of 6 and performed as a violinist at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall when he was eleven. He studies with Dr. Judy Huang, and he was selected for convention and awarded State Honor in MTAC CM Advanced Level. He won several awards in competitions, including MTAC, CAPMT, Southern California Junior Bach Festival, Southwestern Youth Music Festival, Satori Young Pianist Grand Prize Competition, Great Composers Competition Best Performance, Bonn Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, London Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, AFAF International Music Competition in NYC, Pittsburgh International Piano Competition, Quebec International Music Competition, Muse International Music Competition, Rome Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, and Bellagrande international Music Competition. He has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Esme Tran - Absolute Platinum Award (Rising Stars Category) - Piano - USA
Esme is 7 years old and is currently attending 1st grade at Harbor Day School in
Newport Beach, CA. She has been studying the piano under the direction of Prof.
Ana Maria Eckstein. She enjoys playing various composers, reading about their
lives, and learning different musical eras and their musical styles.
At age 5, she won the Gold Prize in the WPTA Finland International Piano Competition 2020;First Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner of the 2020 Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition; First Prize in American Protégé International Music Talent Competition 2020; First Absolute Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner of the 2020 International Music Competition Bonn Grand Prize Virtuoso; First Absolute Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner of the 2021 International Music Competition
London Grand Prize Virtuoso. More recently, she won Gold Prize in the 2021 Golden Key Music Festival; Gold Prize in 2021 Musicale Piano Etude Festival; Gold Prize in 2021 Musicale Piano Classical music Festival; Gold Prize 2021 WPTA Finland International Piano Competition; Platinum/ Grand Champion special prize winner of 2021 Quebec Music Competition; First Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner of the 2021 International Music Competition Salzburg Grand Prize Virtuoso; Gold award in all 3 categories (Junior Performance category, Bach Invention/Sinfonia Category, and Mozart category) of 2021 Nordic International Piano Competition; First Absolute Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner of the 2021 Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition; First Prize in the 2021 US New Star International Piano “Etude” Competition; Gold Prize in North American Virtuoso International Music competition; Gold Award 2021 Global International Competition; Diamond Special Top Prize winner of Grand Maestro International Music Competition; Gold Prize in
2021 Musicale Fall Music Festival; American Music Judges Award for outstanding performance and interpretation at the Musicale Piano Music Festival 2021; Platinum Award in 2021 Trinity International Music Competition; Absolute Platinum award in 2021 Canadian International Music Competition.
She was invited to perform in various winner’s concerts since 5, including Carnegie Hall, NYC, USA ; Solitar Mozarteum, Salzburg, Vienna ; Beethoven’s House, Bonn, Germany; Royal Albert Hall, London, UK ; Teatro Studio, Marco della Musica, Rome, Italy. Due to the pandemic, she was not able to travel but hopes one day to perform at these beautiful concert halls when travel is safer.
Besides piano, Esme also enjoys reading, drawing, painting, ballet and figure skating, and playing with her brother and puppy.
Leon Klimiuk - Platinum Medalist (Rising Star Category) - Clarinet - Poland
Leon Klimiuk was born in 2007 in Warsaw, Poland.
A student of class 3 of G. Bacewicz Secondary State Music School No. 3 in Warsaw.
Since the age of five he has been studying the clarinet with Professor Jerzy Czyran.
Clarinet is Leon’s great passion and idea for life.
He is a laureate of many national and international competitions:
♪ 1st prize at the 3rd International Wind Instrument Competition (IWIC) in Warsaw (2016), where he played
with a chamber orchestra in stage 3
♪ 2nd place at the 9th National Competition " Little or Big Virtuoso" in Warsaw (2016)
♪ 3rd place at the 10th National Wind Instrument Competition "Jupiter" in Krakow (2016)
♪ 2nd place at the 12th Clarinet Festival in Piotrków Trybunalski (2017)
♪ 1st place at the 11th National Competition "Small or big virtuoso" in Warsaw (2018)
♪ 1st place at the 1st B. Strava and F. Krzeminski Competition of Wind Instruments in Lublin (2018)
♪ 2nd place at the 17th International Interpretative Competition of Playing the Woodwind Instruments "Pro
Bohemia" in Ostrava (2018)
♪ 1st place at the 13th Clarinet Festival in Piotrków Trybunalski and ♪ 2nd place in the Clarinet Trio (2019)
♪ 1st place at the 2nd B. Strava and F. Krzeminski Competition of Wind Instruments in Lublin (2019)
♪ two honorable mentions at the CEA Regional Auditions in Siedlce and Warsaw (2017 and 2018)
♪ 1st place at the 12th WORLD OPEN Online Music Competition in Belgrade (2021)
♪ 1st place at King's Peak International Classical Music Competition in the USA (2021)
♪ 1st place at the "IMKA" Internet Music & Dance Competition (2021).
♪ 2 nd place at the „OPUS” International Music Competition (2021)
♪ GRAND PRIX and 1 st place at the 14th Clarinet Festival in Piotrkow Trybunalski (2021)
♪ 4th place at the 2nd World Clarinet E-Competition „Napolinova” (2021)
♪ 1st place at the „Perusia Harmonica” Music Online Competition (2021)
♪ Gold Award at the Music @ e-contest International Online Music Competition (2021)
♪ Laureate of the semi-finals of the Virtuosos V4+ talent show in Hungary (2021)
♪ 3rd place at the France Music Competition no.3 (2021)
♪ Gold Award at the World Classical Music Awards in the U.K. (2021)
♪ 1st place at the King’s Peak International Music Competition in San Francisco (2021/2022)
♪ Platinum Award at the 2nd Canadian International Music Competition in Montreal (2021/2022)
♪ Gold Award at the London Young Musicians season 3 in the U.K. (2021/2022)
♪ 2nd place at the International Music Competition- Małopolska in Poland (2021/2022)
Leon performed many times as a soloist and in the Clarinet Trio during chamber concerts at the New World
of Music and Chopin Salon, at the Royal Castle, at the Warsaw Centre of Cultural Education, Cultural
Promotion Centre at "Afternoon Tea with Chamber Music", National Folk Dance and Song Review, Wolski
Cultural Centre, International Forum for Young Musicians in Warsaw, as well as during the Conference at
the Silesian University in Katowice. He has also performed with a first level orchestra.
Currently he performs as a soloist, in a chamber ensemble and in a second level orchestra.
He is regularly preparing for new competitions and concerts.
Since 2019 Leon has been a scholar of the program for exceptionally talented children of the National Fund
for Children. In 2021, Leon received a government scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National
Heritage for outstanding musical achievement.
Wong Tsz Yiu Wesley - Platinum Medalist (Absolute First Prize) - Clarinet - Budding Star Category
Wesley Wong Tsz Yiu was born on October 9th 2015 in Hong Kong. He is now six years old and studying in year 2 in ESF Beacon Hill School. He became interested in clarinet at the age of 4 and enjoys playing pieces from various composers. He has taken part in a number of music competitions and festivals, most notably achieving:
2022 - Absolute First Prize at the Canadian International Music Competition
2021 - 1st place at the International Young Music Contest by Muse Music Association
2021 - Silver Award in pre junior group at The Trinity International Music Competition
2021 - 1st place at The 9th Hong Kong International Youth Performing Arts Festival
2021 - 1st place at The Global Children’s and Youth Woodwind Competition
2021 - 1st place at Hong Kong Children Art & Speech Association
He also enjoys fencing and lacross in his leisure time.
Ezgi Ergin - Silver Medalist - Artist Category (Piano) - Turkey
Ezgi Ergin is a violinist, pianist and composer, was born in Ankara, Turkey. She started
to compose melodies, play the violin and piano in childhood; composed pieces while she was playing the piano by herself. She graduated as a violinist from Faculty of Music and
Performing Arts of Bilkent University in Ankara. During her violin education, she studied
piano too. She played at many concert halls in Turkey as a solo violinist or chamber music
player; played at youth orchestras in Turkey and Germany.
She started to work at Ankara State Opera and Ballet Orchestra in 2009; played in
festivals in Turkey and abroad. She has awards in many competitions in violin, piano and
composition categories. Some of them are in violin category 1st prize in ‘Sarajevo’ IMKA
International Music Competition, in composition category 1st prize and Platinum medal in
Quebec International Music Competition, 1st prize and Platinum medal in Global
International Music Competition.
Leon Klimiuk - Platinum Medalist - Rising Star Category (Clarinet) - Poland
Leon Klimiuk was born in 2007 in Warsaw, Poland.
A student of class 3 of G. Bacewicz Secondary State Music School No. 3 in Warsaw.
Since the age of five he has been studying the clarinet with Professor Jerzy Czyran.
Clarinet is Leon’s great passion and idea for life.
He is a laureate of many national and international competitions:
♪ 1st prize at the 3rd International Wind Instrument Competition (IWIC) in Warsaw (2016), where he played
with a chamber orchestra in stage 3
♪ 2nd place at the 9th National Competition " Little or Big Virtuoso" in Warsaw (2016)
♪ 3rd place at the 10th National Wind Instrument Competition "Jupiter" in Krakow (2016)
♪ 2nd place at the 12th Clarinet Festival in Piotrków Trybunalski (2017)
♪ 1st place at the 11th National Competition "Small or big virtuoso" in Warsaw (2018)
♪ 1st place at the 1st B. Strava and F. Krzeminski Competition of Wind Instruments in Lublin (2018)
♪ 2nd place at the 17th International Interpretative Competition of Playing the Woodwind Instruments "Pro
Bohemia" in Ostrava (2018)
♪ 1st place at the 13th Clarinet Festival in Piotrków Trybunalski and ♪ 2nd place in the Clarinet Trio (2019)
♪ 1st place at the 2nd B. Strava and F. Krzeminski Competition of Wind Instruments in Lublin (2019)
♪ two honorable mentions at the CEA Regional Auditions in Siedlce and Warsaw (2017 and 2018)
♪ 1st place at the 12th WORLD OPEN Online Music Competition in Belgrade (2021)
♪ 1st place at King's Peak International Classical Music Competition in the USA (2021)
♪ 1st place at the "IMKA" Internet Music & Dance Competition (2021).
♪ 2 nd place at the „OPUS” International Music Competition (2021)
♪ GRAND PRIX and 1 st place at the 14th Clarinet Festival in Piotrkow Trybunalski (2021)
♪ 4th place at the 2nd World Clarinet E-Competition „Napolinova” (2021)
♪ 1st place at the „Perusia Harmonica” Music Online Competition (2021)
♪ Gold Award at the Music @ e-contest International Online Music Competition (2021)
♪ Laureate of the semi-finals of the Virtuosos V4+ talent show in Hungary (2021)
♪ 3rd place at the France Music Competition no.3 (2021)
♪ Gold Award at the World Classical Music Awards in the U.K. (2021)
♪ 1st place at the King’s Peak International Music Competition in San Francisco (2021/2022)
♪ Platinum Award at the 2nd Canadian International Music Competition in Montreal (2021/2022)
♪ Gold Award at London Young Musicians season 3 in the U.K. (2021/2022)
Leon performed many times as a soloist and in the Clarinet Trio during chamber concerts at the New World
of Music and Chopin Salon, at the Royal Castle, at the Warsaw Centre of Cultural Education, Cultural
Promotion Centre at "Afternoon Tea with Chamber Music", National Folk Dance and Song Review, Wolski
Cultural Centre, International Forum for Young Musicians in Warsaw, as well as during the Conference at
the Silesian University in Katowice. He has also performed with a first level orchestra.
Currently he performs as a soloist, in a chamber ensemble and in a second level orchestra.
He is regularly preparing for new competitions and concerts.
Since 2019 Leon has been a scholar of the program for exceptionally talented children of the National Fund
for Children. In 2021, Leon received a government scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National
Heritage for outstanding musical achievement.
Nadin Varga - Gold Medalist - Young Artist Category (Composition) - Hungary
I was born in Budapest, Hungary in 2005. I started my music studies at the age of 4.
First I learned to play the violin, my theachers were Anna Bergerné Szőnyi, Gyöngyi Denkéné Lakner and Zsuzsanna Hidvegi.
During that time I had been interested in playing the piano and composing music as well. When I was 12 years old I started focusing on these two when I won the Rév Lívia III. Dél-Dunántúli Regional piano competition with my teacher Adrienn Vadász.
In 2018 I achieved shared first price at Szokolay InspirArt composing competition my composing teacher was Zoltán Galambos.
I have been successfully admitted to Hermann László Secondary School of Music to piano and composing specialization which I was prepared for by Adrienn Vadász and Zsuzsanna Petőcz.
I study piano at Hermann László Secondary Grammar School of Music and I also study composing. I have achieved excellent grades in common knowledge subjects and I have recieved an educational award.
My current teachers: Éva Kovács piano, Tamás Vasvári and Zoltán Galambos composing.
Competition results:
2021. 3. World Championship in composition Young Composer International Prize (2nd prize)
2021. London youth Music competitions Piano category (Silver prize)
2021. Canadian International Music Competition Composition category (First prize)
2021. Trinity International Music Competition Composition category (Gold Prize)
2021 International Online Contest Prometheus (First Prize)
2021. Virtuosos V4+ classical music talent show (Special prize)
2021. International Youth Music Competitions Atlanta Composition category (Grand Prize maximal score)
2021. International Youth Music Competitions Atlanta folk music category (First Prize)
2019. Szokolay InspirArt composer competition (Special prize)
2018. Szokolay InspirArt composer competition (1st place, shared)
I was born in Budapest, Hungary in 2005. I started my music studies at the age of 4.
First I learned to play the violin, my theachers were Anna Bergerné Szőnyi, Gyöngyi Denkéné Lakner and Zsuzsanna Hidvegi.
During that time I had been interested in playing the piano and composing music as well. When I was 12 years old I started focusing on these two when I won the Rév Lívia III. Dél-Dunántúli Regional piano competition with my teacher Adrienn Vadász.
In 2018 I achieved shared first price at Szokolay InspirArt composing competition my composing teacher was Zoltán Galambos.
I have been successfully admitted to Hermann László Secondary School of Music to piano and composing specialization which I was prepared for by Adrienn Vadász and Zsuzsanna Petőcz.
I study piano at Hermann László Secondary Grammar School of Music and I also study composing. I have achieved excellent grades in common knowledge subjects and I have recieved an educational award.
My current teachers: Éva Kovács piano, Tamás Vasvári and Zoltán Galambos composing.
Competition results:
2021. 3. World Championship in composition Young Composer International Prize (2nd prize)
2021. London youth Music competitions Piano category (Silver prize)
2021. Canadian International Music Competition Composition category (First prize)
2021. Trinity International Music Competition Composition category (Gold Prize)
2021 International Online Contest Prometheus (First Prize)
2021. Virtuosos V4+ classical music talent show (Special prize)
2021. International Youth Music Competitions Atlanta Composition category (Grand Prize maximal score)
2021. International Youth Music Competitions Atlanta folk music category (First Prize)
2019. Szokolay InspirArt composer competition (Special prize)
2018. Szokolay InspirArt composer competition (1st place, shared)
Natchanok Chonlacoop - Platinum Medalist (Absolute) - Rising Star Category - Thailand
7-years-old Thai, born in U.S., Natchanok started learning piano at the age of
3. She has been under tutelage of Professor Dr. Pornphan Banternghansa and Professor Chirapa Wungkaom since 2019 in Thailand.
Her achievements in 2021 include First Prize from 2021 Chicago International
Music Competition (U.S.A), Platinum Prize from The 1st Young Concert Artists
International Piano Competition (WPTA Thailand), Platinum and Best Youngest Virtuoso Award from WPTA SINGAPORE International Piano Competition, Platinum Prize from Global International Music Competition (Canada), Gold Prize from Osaka International Music Competition Regional Round (DVD audition), Gold Prize from Osaka International Music Competition (Bangkok Regional), Grand Prize and Audience Award Winner 21st Century Talents Music Competition First Place and Audience Award Winner from Rocky Mountain Music Competition (Canada), Gold Prize from Appassionato International
Online Youth Music Festival 2021 (Canada), First Prize from The 4th New Talent British International Youth Music Competition (U.K.), First Prize from London Young Musician (U.K), First Prize from Young Verona Piano Competition (Italy), Platinum and Audience Award from Royal Sound Music Competition (Canada), Grand Prize from International Youth Music Competitions (U.S.A), First Prize from Piano Competition Online, First Prize from International Clara Schumann Competition, Gold Prize from The Inaugural WPTA Indonesia International Piano Competition 2021 (Indonesia) and Gold Prize from World Classical Music Awards .
In 2020, Natchanok achieved First Prize and Exceptional Young Talent Award from Bonn Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, First Prize from Piano Star International Competition - Final Round, First Prize and Exceptional Young Talent Award from Golden Classical Music Award (U.S.A), and Gold Prize from The Bangkok International Piano Competition (Thailand).
She also enjoys playing violin, riding horses, reading, and swimming in her free time. Her passion for music, sport and literature reinforces her strong confidence in her social life and academia.
Wong Tsz Kwan Harvey - Platinum Medalist of Rising star Category - Piano - Hong Kong
Wong Tsz Kwan Harvey is a 7-year old boy from Hong Kong. Harvey started to learn piano at the age of 4 and completed the Grade 8 piano examination with distinction at the age of 6. He is now preparing for the ATCL examination.
Harvey has obtained Champion awards in various international competitions including London Young Musicians Competiton, Quebec International Music Competiton, Chopin Avenue International Piano Competiton, Japan Piara International Piano Competiton, Kyoto International Piano Competiton and Bangkok International Piano Competiton etc.
Harvey loves music ! Apart from piano he also plays violin and double bass. He likes to share the joy of music with others.
Wong Tsz Kwan Harvey is a 7-year old boy from Hong Kong. Harvey started to learn piano at the age of 4 and completed the Grade 8 piano examination with distinction at the age of 6. He is now preparing for the ATCL examination.
Harvey has obtained Champion awards in various international competitions including London Young Musicians Competiton, Quebec International Music Competiton, Chopin Avenue International Piano Competiton, Japan Piara International Piano Competiton, Kyoto International Piano Competiton and Bangkok International Piano Competiton etc.
Harvey loves music ! Apart from piano he also plays violin and double bass. He likes to share the joy of music with others.
Martyna Sujka - Gold Medalist - Piano - Junior Performer Category - Poland
Student of the 5th class of the Stanisław Moniuszko School of Music in Łódź/PolandTeacher: Alina Grossman-Jędrasiak
The artistic achievements in piano competitions:
X Polish National Piano Competition Emmy Altberg in 2018 in Łódź (honourable
mention)
III Elbląg Online Piano Competition 2021(honourable mention)
IV Polish National Piano Competition Iwona Kuźma "Pianogranie" 2021(honourable
mention)
The International Music Competition OPUS 2021 (honourable mention)
I National Piano Competition "Musical Pictures" in Radom,2021(honourable mention)
I National Piano Competition "Co młodym w duszy gra", Ruda Śląska, 2021 (2nd
Prize)
VII Young Talents Competition, Czerwionka Leszczyny, 2021 (2nd Prize)
School Piano Competition "My Sonatina" May 18-21, 2021. ZSM im. S. Moniuszko
in Łódź (1st Prize)
International Piano Competition in memoriam, Nowy Sącz 2021, (3rd
Prize)
I International Viennese Spring Music Competition Online Edition 2021, (2nd Prize)
II International Online, Instrumental Performance Competition, 2021, Toronto (2nd
Prize)
Great Masters International Piano Competition Vladimir Horowitz Edition, 2021 ( 1st
Prize)
Wave International Online Contest, 2021, Spain (1st Prize)
London Young Musician, season 1, June 2021r, (2nd Prize)
VI National Piano Competition FORTE , online edition, November 2021, Laureate
World Classical Music Awards, December 2021, (1st Prize)
Canadian International Music Competition Online, second edition, December 2021,
(Gold Prize)
London Young Musician, season 3, December 2021r, (2nd Prize)
By playing the piano, I want to express the emotions and invite the listener to the magical
world of music. I combine my passion for playing the piano with love for singing. I'm a
laureate of vocal competitions at the provincial and national level and I am a member of the
vocal ensemble "mŁodzianki".
Jana Studynkova - Silver Medalist - Violin - Artist Category - Czech Republic / Greece
Jana Studynkova was born in Czech Republic into a musical family. She studied violin in the class of her father Cyril Studynka at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens and obtained the Artist Diploma of Violin Performance with distinction. She has participated in violin masterclasses with the professors Lydia Mordkovitch and Zakhar Bron.
She won the Absolute First Prize and a gold medal in the Panhellenic Violin Competition. In the orchestra category of the same competition, she won the First Prizes and gold medals as the concertmaster of the string ensemble "Harmony" twice. She was also awarded the Diploma of Special Distinction in the competition for the European Union Youth Orchestra. She won the Jury Distinction Award in the Professional Division at the International Competition of Progressive Musicians and she has been invited to perform at the Winner’s Recital at Carnegie Hall in New York City in February 2022.
She has given violin recitals in Greece and has collaborated as a soloist with various orchestras. She has also performed in chamber music concerts, cultural and charitable events and live shows on Greek television.
In addition, she has graduated from the Department of Preschool Education of the Pedagogical School of the University of Crete. In 2009 she became a member of the Greek MENSA.
Since 2006 she has been teaching violin and chamber music at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens combining her love for performing and teaching.
Inez Tajol Asanan - Silver Medalist - Violin - Artist Category - Malaysia
Financial difficulties did not permit learning Violin despite the beginning of my passion at a very young age. Playing by ear was the only affordable method throughout my youth.
Today (2021), I have officially graduated from UCSI University Institute of Music with a Bachelor of Classical Music (Hons.) majoring in violin; minoring in piano. This year (2022), I am advancing on to Master of Performing Arts(Music) in University Malaya.
Along my life journey, I have been fortunate to receive masterclasses from world renowned violinist which includes Dr Andrzej Grabiec, Miranda Liu, Dr Vincent Chao, Evgeny Zvonnikov, Kamila Bydlowska and David Le Page.
Meanwhile, I have been serving as a music instructor for the past seven years and have been actively involved in Orchestra, Chamber Music and Solo Performances. Having said that, I have always been passionate with sharing knowledge and was recently featured on a website - Music to Save Humanity - Mentorship and Outreach program.
Besides Western music, I also play the Eastern Chinese Violin, known as the “Er-Hu”, which I briefly performed in a few instances for the Malaysia National Chinese radio station “Ai FM”, Chinese Orchestras and gigs.
Professional Experience – International Achievements:
- Top 10 Violinist; amongst 400 over applicants for Avila International Music Festival, 2020 (Spain).
- Awarded full scholarship with New Millennium International Music Festival for 2 consecutive years, 2020 & 2021 (Budapast, Hungary).
- 3rd place; Samnium Symphony, International Orchestra Audition Awards, 2020 (Italy).
- Merit Award – ASCO Hong Kong International Music Competition, 2020 (Hong Kong).
- Finalist; 2021 Virtual Masterclass with Martin Chalifour – Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
- Summa Cum Laude Award (With the Highest Distinction) – SATB Young Artist Music Award Indonesia International Music Competition, 2021 (Indonesia).
Leem Jia En - Gold Medalist (Guzheng) / Silver Medalist (Piano) - Rising Star Category - Singapore
Leem Jia En is a multi-talented 10-year-old from Singapore. Her passion in music brought her to learn various instruments. She began her piano study at age 6, Guzheng at age 9 and recently she picked up trumpet as her third instrument during the year end school holidays. She is a member of her school’s co-curricular activity (CCA) Guzheng Ensemble Team.
With a year of Guzheng learning, Jia En has already won numerous first and gold prizes in international competitions in 2021 - Canadian International Music Competition, Trinity International Music Competition, Grand Prize Virtuoso, American Protégé, Red Maple Music Competition, King’s Peak International Music Competition, Charleston International Music Competition, Valencia Awards Music Competition, Global Genius Competition, Grand Maestro International Music Competition etc. She has also recently won third placing in 17th Hong Kong Asia Pacific Competition, fifth placing in Ars Nova International Music Competition, Silver Award in WPTA Indonesia and All Stars Award in Universal Stars Music Competition. She is honored to receive American Music Judges Award in her outstanding performance in the Musicale Fall Piano Music Festival.
Jia En has been invited to debut at Carnegie Hall and in various parts of Canada in Year 2023 for both of her instruments – Guzheng and Piano. She is also currently pursuing Grade Six Guzheng Examination with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). With her strong passion towards music, she dreams to perform more on stage and contribute more to charity events.
Playing solo and in a team is very different and she learns that playing in an ensemble team has its own challenges, but it also encourages all the team members to work together to achieve the same goal. Learning music has also teaches her discipline and resilience. Jia En loves to attend Guzheng holiday camps as she can learn from other young musicians. “Music is a passion of mine. I’m always listening, always learning. Playing
music makes me happy!”
Leem Jia En - Gold Medalist (Guzheng) / Silver Medalist (Piano) - Rising Star Category - Singapore
Leem Jia En is a multi-talented 10-year-old from Singapore. Her passion in music brought her to learn various instruments. She began her piano study at age 6, Guzheng at age 9 and recently she picked up trumpet as her third instrument during the year end school holidays. She is a member of her school’s co-curricular activity (CCA) Guzheng Ensemble Team.
With a year of Guzheng learning, Jia En has already won numerous first and gold prizes in international competitions in 2021 - Canadian International Music Competition, Trinity International Music Competition, Grand Prize Virtuoso, American Protégé, Red Maple Music Competition, King’s Peak International Music Competition, Charleston International Music Competition, Valencia Awards Music Competition, Global Genius Competition, Grand Maestro International Music Competition etc. She has also recently won third placing in 17th Hong Kong Asia Pacific Competition, fifth placing in Ars Nova International Music Competition, Silver Award in WPTA Indonesia and All Stars Award in Universal Stars Music Competition. She is honored to receive American Music Judges Award in her outstanding performance in the Musicale Fall Piano Music Festival.
Jia En has been invited to debut at Carnegie Hall and in various parts of Canada in Year 2023 for both of her instruments – Guzheng and Piano. She is also currently pursuing Grade Six Guzheng Examination with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). With her strong passion towards music, she dreams to perform more on stage and contribute more to charity events.
Playing solo and in a team is very different and she learns that playing in an ensemble team has its own challenges, but it also encourages all the team members to work together to achieve the same goal. Learning music has also teaches her discipline and resilience. Jia En loves to attend Guzheng holiday camps as she can learn from other young musicians. “Music is a passion of mine. I’m always listening, always learning. Playing
music makes me happy!”
Teoh Yu Chng Valen - Gold Medalist - Junior Performer Category (Piano) - Malaysia
Valen Teoh is a 13 years old student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He began piano lessons at 5 years old and his current teacher is Shuenda Wong.
He achieved Distinction in his Grade 8 piano examination, and received awards in competitions including Hong Kong International Music Festival (Gold) and EuroAsia Malaysian Piano Competition (Gold and Best Performer).
Besides playing the piano, Valen also enjoys chess, badminton and mathematics.
Quensly Gan Yui Fei - Gold Medalist - Violin - Budding Star Category - Malaysia
Quensly Gan Yui Fei was born in November 22, 2015, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Quensly started playing the piano since August 2020 and she started playing the violin since April 2021.
She won Silver awards in the Beijing International Piano Competition in 2021. Quensly also received Gold medal for her 1st violin competition in Euroasia Strings Competition 2021. In December 2021, she joined the Canada International Music Competition in the Budding Star Category and won Gold Prize in her violin.
Quensly Gan Yui Fei - Gold Medalist - Violin - Budding Star Category - Malaysia
Quensly Gan Yui Fei was born in November 22, 2015, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Quensly started playing the piano since August 2020 and she started playing the violin since April 2021.
She won Silver awards in the Beijing International Piano Competition in 2021. Quensly also received Gold medal for her 1st violin competition in Euroasia Strings Competition 2021. In December 2021, she joined the Canada International Music Competition in the Budding Star Category and won Gold Prize in her violin.
Aaliyah Higashimori - Gold Medalist - Violin - Rising Star Category - Japan
Konnichiwa (Hello). I’m Aaliyah Higashimori and first of all, I’d like to give huge thanks to juries and all involved with this competition and special thanks to my teachers and parents who support me with love.
I was born in Aichi, Japan in April 2012 and learned the violin since 1 year old under Ms. Chise Makino for 4 years. Then I learned the violin under Ms. Mizuki Kato at Nagoya School of Music for 4 years. Currently I’ve been learning the violin under Prof. Kirill Troussov to become a soloist. Ms. Kanau Negoro who was a few years behind him in the same university supports me. I started learning about music under a pianist, Mr.
Tomoya Furuta.
My favorite pieces have been Ysaye’s Ballade, Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Vitali’s chaconne and any pieces of Bach since when I was 1 year old. I want to play more and more classical music pieces. I want to play the violin as soloist with orchestras like my great teacher Prof. Kirill Troussov in near future. I want to be a soloist who can make audiences, my teachers and my parents happy. This has been my dream for years. I give a gift box every winter holiday for sick children in the hospital. In the box, I put my old books and toys for them. In the future, I want to play the violin concerts and recitals for them to pray for their fast recovery and heal them, not only in Japan but also in worldwide. This is also one of my dreams and goals.
I practice the violin for 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon, and 2 or 3 hours at night everyday. During weekends or holidays, I do practice more hours. I practice for tomorrow to play better than today. I have been feeding my violin practice three times a day as her meals to be able to make more beautiful sounds since I was 2 years old. She grew up from 1/32 size and her size is 1/2 now. When she’s hungry, she cannot sing well. Her singing is getting better and better year by year. My violin also enjoys traveling with me. I want
to enjoy traveling with my violin to meet more audience in the future. I received awards and these made my daily practice motivation up and I can keep going forward again to make my dreams come true.
Awards:
In 2018
The Gold Prize in the 1st Grade category of the 40th Violin Competition for Kids in Kariya city.
In 2019
Passed the audition at the youngest age (6 years old) in the history of the Soushinkai and performed Vivaldi’s
concerto at the 9th Soushinkai Fresh Gala Concert in Nagoya city.
The Grand Prizes at first stage and semi final, and the Best 10 in all Japan of the Beten Music Competition.
In 2021
The Gold Prize - the Global Genius Music Competition (UK)
The Gold Star Prize - the Music & Stars Awards Competition (Estonia)
The 1st Prize - the Special Golden Artist Prize at the Golden Arts Contest (Spain)
The Gold Prizes in the Junior, Romantic, and Strings - Universal Stars Music Competition (UK)
In 2022
The 5th Prize in the TOP16 - NOMEA Competition (Italy)
The 1st Prize - the 6th International Performing Arts Competition (Russia)
The Gold Prize - the Canadian International Music Competition (Canada)
The 1st Prize - the Euro-Elite International Music Competition (Canada)
The 1st Prize - the Golden Classical Music Awards (USA) Gala Concert at the Carnegie Hall in NY.
The Gold Prize in the Junior, The Gold Prize in the Romantic and The Best Fritz Kreisler’s work Special
Prize - Best Classical Musicians Competition (UK)
(Awards till today, February 7, 2022)
Arigatougozaimashita (Thank you). Thank you for reading about me. I’m looking forward to meeting you
someday.
Lyndon Wee Yi Xi - Gold Medalist - Piano - Budding Star Category - Singapore
A Mensa Singapore and John Hopkins Centre of Talented Youth member since he was 4 years old, Lyndon began his journey into the world of classical piano learning at the tender age of 4 years old. As a middle child born into a family of 3 young boys, he was deeply inspired by his eldest brother to delve into the piano learning journey, and enjoyed a steep learning curve in the process. Lyndon has achieved many amazing piano feats for a young 6 year old, including successfully obtaining his ABRSM Grade 5 Piano Performance at 5 years old, and ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory certification recently.
As a result of his passion for piano learning, he has successfully garnered award recognitions from many prestigious local and international piano competitions. Lyndon was gifted with his personal upright piano Yamaha YUS5 in year 2020 and has been playing this instrument for most of his competition wins.
As a bid to expand his classical musical exposure, Lyndon is also actively mastering his second instrument journey in cello. Lyndon has also set his sights to achieve his musical diploma ambition before he turns 9 years old.
ABRSM Grade 7 Performance Grade Exam - Actively pursuing for attainment by June 2022
ABRSM Grade 8 Performance Grade Exam - Actively pursuing for attainment by December 2022
ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory Exam - Completed successfully on April 2022 at 6 years old
ABRSM Grade 5 Performance Grade Exam - Achieved successfully on June 2021 at 5 years old
Canadian International Music Competition 2021 - Budding Stars Performance Category – Gold Award
Canadian International Music Competition 2020 - Budding Stars Performance Category – Third Prize
2ND ASCO International Music Competition 2020 - Grade 3 Category -亞軍 1st runner-up
Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition 2021 - Third Prize (Bronze Medal)
Canada International Youth Piano Festival 2021 - Third Prize (Bronze Medal)
Città di Massa 5th International Competition 2021 - 3rd Prize
5th Edition of Quebec International Music Competition - Silver Medal
3rd Nanyang International Music Competition 2021 - Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) Bronze Medal
Lie Yin Yin - Piano - Silver Medalist - Artist Category - Hong Kong
Lie Yin Yin, a diversified music teacher and performer. Graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a Master of Arts (Honours) in Music and holds a number of professional qualifications. Lie is currently under the tutelage of renowned Steinway pianist Dr. Mary Meiloc Wu. She has won several awards, including the 2012 National Youth Art Elite Competition, the 5th Kawai Asia Piano Competition and the the 20th Hong Kong-Asian Piano Open Competition.
Lie has extensive performance experience in different form of music. She once formed an alternative-folk band and performed at Taiwan Spring Scream Music Festival, Clockenflap, K11, The Peak Galleria and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In recent years, she has become fascinated by classical chamber music and has worked as a flautist and arranger. Free online music concert was hold to share the joy of chamber music. In 2020 and 2021, she was invited to participate in the publication of the book "Music World Horizon" and the CIBS program of RTHK to share her growth experience in the music journey.
Lie Yin Yin - Piano - Silver Medalist - Artist Category - Hong Kong
Lie Yin Yin, a diversified music teacher and performer. Graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a Master of Arts (Honours) in Music and holds a number of professional qualifications. Lie is currently under the tutelage of renowned Steinway pianist Dr. Mary Meiloc Wu. She has won several awards, including the 2012 National Youth Art Elite Competition, the 5th Kawai Asia Piano Competition and the the 20th Hong Kong-Asian Piano Open Competition.
Lie has extensive performance experience in different form of music. She once formed an alternative-folk band and performed at Taiwan Spring Scream Music Festival, Clockenflap, K11, The Peak Galleria and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In recent years, she has become fascinated by classical chamber music and has worked as a flautist and arranger. Free online music concert was hold to share the joy of chamber music. In 2020 and 2021, she was invited to participate in the publication of the book "Music World Horizon" and the CIBS program of RTHK to share her growth experience in the music journey.
Donovan To - Violin & Piano Ensemble - Silver Medalist - Rising Star Category - USA
Donovan loves music and has been playing piano since he was five. He currently plays the violin in his school’s orchestra as second violin section leader. He's also a member of the school district Honor Orchestra. Outside of music, he enjoys various sports including karate, baseball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and football. He loves to read and draw in his spare time as well as competing in scholastic chess tournaments.
Gabriel Vasilescu – Piano - Silver Medalist – Rising Stars Category - USA
Gabriel Vasilescu was born in Montreal, Canada and moved to the USA at 2 years old. He was first exposed to piano at 4 years old, but he started to study seriously in 2019 under the guidance of piano teacher Mrs. Sandra Curless. He participated in a few international and local piano competitions. Among these, Gabriel was Gold Medalist at Quebec Music Competition, won second place at Little Mozarts International Music Competition and Consul General Award at Chopin Avenue International Piano Competition in 2021. He was also invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. Besides piano, Gabriel loves math, chess, basketball, and soccer.
Gabriel Vasilescu was born in Montreal, Canada and moved to the USA at 2 years old. He was first exposed to piano at 4 years old, but he started to study seriously in 2019 under the guidance of piano teacher Mrs. Sandra Curless. He participated in a few international and local piano competitions. Among these, Gabriel was Gold Medalist at Quebec Music Competition, won second place at Little Mozarts International Music Competition and Consul General Award at Chopin Avenue International Piano Competition in 2021. He was also invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. Besides piano, Gabriel loves math, chess, basketball, and soccer.
Raffa Safiy Prasetyo - Silver Medalist (Voice / Pop ) - Rising Star Category - Indonesia
From an early age, music and singing have been such exciting activities for Raffa. His passion for them led Raffa to take singing lessons and vocal coaching, which he has enjoyed for many years now. His love of singing grows day by day. The Canadian International Music Competition was not his first competition, but it was certainly one of the more important ones as it opened up his view to broader horizons as a competitor. His journey with music is a journey of love, and the Silver medal that he won in the Canadian International Music Competition 2021 in the "Rising Star" category has indeed encouraged him to follow his heart and embrace the beautiful world of music.
From an early age, music and singing have been such exciting activities for Raffa. His passion for them led Raffa to take singing lessons and vocal coaching, which he has enjoyed for many years now. His love of singing grows day by day. The Canadian International Music Competition was not his first competition, but it was certainly one of the more important ones as it opened up his view to broader horizons as a competitor. His journey with music is a journey of love, and the Silver medal that he won in the Canadian International Music Competition 2021 in the "Rising Star" category has indeed encouraged him to follow his heart and embrace the beautiful world of music.
Jonathan Tan - Bronze Medalist (Piano) - Rising Star Category - Philippines
Jonathan Tan is a 13-year-old pianist who was born in the Philippines.
He began learning to play the piano at the age of 6, and has been playing it ever since.
Jonathan has participated in two international piano competitions to date, namely:
the 2021 Bangkok International Piano Competition, and the 2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition (this competition), earning bronze in both.
Aside from piano, Jonathan also enjoys drawing, toy photography, and reading.
Jonathan Tan is a 13-year-old pianist who was born in the Philippines.
He began learning to play the piano at the age of 6, and has been playing it ever since.
Jonathan has participated in two international piano competitions to date, namely:
the 2021 Bangkok International Piano Competition, and the 2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition (this competition), earning bronze in both.
Aside from piano, Jonathan also enjoys drawing, toy photography, and reading.
Nabila Batrisyia juwita Suptandar - Bronze Medalist (Voice / Pop) - Rising Star Category - Indonesia
Batrisyia has always been a happy, easy-going child who just started her singing journey and vocal lessons a month ago. It was a journey that takes a lot of patience and hard work for Batrisyia, her supportive family, her teachers, and coaches, but certainly the one worth fighting for. Batrisyia has never experienced singing in any competitions before although she does have a vibrant soprano voice. Being awarded the bronze in the Rising Star category, Batrisyia is now more confident in stepping forward in this singing journey. As a thousand steps start from the first step, her bronze award from the Canadian International Music Competition 2021, is definitely her first milestone as well as the beginning of even bigger adventures.
Lucas John Wee Yu Heng - Bronze Medalist (Piano) - Budding Star Category - Singapore
A Mensa Singapore member since 3 years old, Lucas began his journey into the world of classical piano learning at the tender age of 3 years old. He was deeply inspired by his junior pianist player Lyndon Wee, who is just a year older than him. Since Lucas enjoyed his first foray into the classical piano arena, he had successfully enjoyed a steep learning curve and success with his multiple competition wins locally and internationally.
Lucas has enjoyed multiple piano feats for a young 5 year old junior pianist, including successfully obtaining his ABRSM Grade 1 Piano Performance Distinction achievement at 4 years old, and ABRSM Grade 3 Piano Performance achievement recently as a proud 5 years old. He is currently striving to achieve his ABRSM Grade 5 Piano Performance achievement before the end of year 2022.
As a bid to expand his classical musical exposure, Lucas is also actively mastering his second instrument journey in violin instrument. Lucas, together with his brother duo Lyndon Wee, has also set his sights to achieve his musical diploma ambition before he turns 9 years old.
More winners' biographies to come! Please stay tuned!