International Piano and Strings Competition 2022

Lim Yi Ting is a 10 years’ old cello student who has participated in competitions as a soloist and in ensemble. Recent 1st prize wins include American Protégé International Competition of Romantic Music 2021, Vienna Virtuoso Competition 2021, London Young Musician 21-22 Season 2 Age Category and Performance Grade 8, 2nd prize wins in 3rd NIMC 2021, International Grande Music Competition 2021 and Muse 2021 International Music Competition, 1st prize wins in Chicago International Music Competition and Festival 2020, Salzburg Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition 2020, Muse 2020 International Music Competition, Rising Star London Music Competition 2020. As a cellist in PLMGS (Primary) Strings Ensemble, she was awarded Distinction in Foundation Ensemble 2019. She believes music is integral to everyday life and loves to share her passion with others by performing in concerts, parties, school, church, family gatherings and masterclasses.

William Feng, from Sammamish, WA, is currently a fourth grade student. He started learning piano at the age of six with Dr. Christopher Bowlby from Chopin Academy of Music. William loves music and has a great passion for playing piano. Since 2020, William started to participate in regional festivals held by Seattle International Piano Festival & Competition (SIPF). He has won gold medals in SIPF Bach festivals 2020 and 2021, gold medals in SIPF Classical Viennese Festivals 2020 and 2021, and a gold medal in SIPF Virtuoso Festival 2021. Besides playing piano, William is interested in musical composition. He also enjoys reading music theory and history books.

7-years-old Thai, born in U.S., Natchanok started learning piano at the age of three. She has been under tutelage of Dr. Pornphan Banternghansa and Ms. Chirapa Wungkaom since 2019 in Thailand. Natchanok has won many prestigious competitions around the world; for example, First Prize from 2021 Chicago International Music Competition, First Prize from The 4th New Talent British International Youth Music Competition and Platinum and Best Youngest Virtuoso Award from WPTA SINGAPORE International Piano Competition, Platinum prize from London Young Musician and 23rd Gold Prize from Osaka International Music Competition Regional Round, etc. She always loves to play piano and enjoys her playing. Natchanok also enjoys riding horses, playing violin, singing, reading, and swimming in her free time. Her passion for music, sport and literature reinforces her strong confidence in her social life and academia. 

Travis Li is 6 years old; he started his piano journey with his teacher, Ms. Fafan Xiao, at the age of four. He showed his great talent in music at his younger age and has been very passionate about giving back to the community through his music. Travis has participated in a variety of piano competitions and has been awarded many prizes including overall awards from Canada Steinway Piano Competition in 2020 & 2021; The first prize at Europe Music & Star International Piano Competition in 2020 & 2021; Grand prize in overall performance from Northern Lights Piano Competition 2021; First Prize in the 8th Global Outstanding Chinese Artists Association (GOCAA)  International Piano Competition; First Prize in the French VIVACE international piano competition; Travis has also won the judge’s distinction award and first prize at the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition 2021. Travis is very much looking forward to performing at Carnegie Hall in 2023.

Chelsea Solis, from New York City, is a kindergarten student. She started her piano lessons with Dr. Tian Song from 4 years old. She has participated in a couple competitions since then. She won first place in AFAF Golden Era of Romantic Music International Competition 2021, Fall selection. She won another first prize and exceptional young talent special prize in 2022 Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition. Her other interests include soccer, painting and singing.

Oriana Wojciechowska (13) has been playing violin since she was 6. She studies violin with prof. Malgorzata Skorupa in General Education Music School in Gdansk, Poland. Oriana Wojciechowska attended many master class violin courses, when she has worked under internationally acclaimed violinists. Her big stage debut was in 2019, when she performed in the Great Concert Hall of Lancut Castle, Poland. She has cooperated with conductors: Dawid Jarzab, Maksym Dondalski, and Massimiliano Caldi. Her recent competition awards include: Platinum Award in 2021-2022 Canadian International Music Competition, January 2022, Canada; 1st Prize in King’s Peak Music Competition, January 2022, USA; Absolute 1st Prize in VI Danubia Talents International Music Competition, December 2021, Hungary; „Artistic Personality of the Competition” in National Competition for Violinists, Violists, Celloists, and Bassists within V PRESTO Festival, June 2021, Poland; 1st Prize in V National Violin Confrontations, May 2021, Poland.

Felix Wang started taking violin lessons when he was four. He became a member of BYSO two years after and was the concertmaster of BYSO-JRO in 2021. Felix was the 1^st place winner of the Bay State String Competition (2017), the Great Composer’s Competition (2019), the Elite International Music Competition (2019, 2020), the Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition (2020), Growing Leaves Music Competition (2021), and the VIVO International Music Competition (2021). Felix was also the Grand Prix winner of the Concert Festival Orchestra International Concerto Competition in 2020. Felix was invited to perform at the Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Vienna Musikverein, and Beethoven’s House in Bonn, Germany. Felix had attended music camps and festivals such as BYSO Summer camp in ME, Narnia Festival Summer Program in Italy, and Meadowmount School of Music in NY. Felix also enjoys time with friends of the Boston Jr. Terriers hockey Team.

Joshua Lee (12 yrs) began playing the violin under the guidance of his mom, Jooyeon Han, at the age of 7. He is currently a member of the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO) and the concertmaster of his school orchestra (BASIS Ahwatukee, AZ). He has won multiple awards in recent music competitions (junior division) including the 1^st place at the 62^nd Annual Young Musicians Concerto Competition by PYSO (2022), the 1^st place at the American Protege Concerto Competition (2021), the 1^st place at the String Competition of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Arizona chapter (2021) and also Southwest Division (2022), the Grand Prize and 1^st Place Winner of the US New Star Strings Competition (2021), the 1^st place at the OPUS Music Competition (Arizona chapter), and the 1^st place at the Solo Competition of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA; Arizona chapter) (2020). Joshua also excels academically as he has been an all-time distinguished honor roll student at his school.

Audrey Zhang was born in Cary, North Carolina.  She has been playing piano since the age of 5 (she just turns to 11 in January 2022).  Her piano teacher is Florence Ko and she really enjoy learning with her.  She loves playing piano and has participated in numerous regional, state, national and international competitions.  She won first place in NC Steinway Piano Competition (2019), received numerous awards in Intermediate I (2019), Intermediate II (2020) and Senior I (2021) Young Artist Auditions, and won second place in NCFMC state competition (2021). Playing piano also provides her opportunities to bring joy and love to local retirement communities through music. Aside from piano, Audrey likes making craft, watching k-pop dance, and playing golf.

Shihan Chen is a 15 years old girl who loves music. She started learning the violin at the age of four and has been practicing the instrument for 12 years. She played as the principal of the Hangzhou Children’s Symphony Orchestra of Zhejiang Province. As soloist, she played the “Liang Zhu” violin concerto at the Hamamatsu City Hall of Sino-Japanese Friendship, and have performed the same piece with orchestral accompaniment under other occasions. She participated in the filming of the “6.5 World Environment Day” Zhejiang Province promotional video as violin solo. She also served as the lead violin player in the performance welcoming the Asian Games. Shihan has been first-prize winners in Hangzhou Municipal, Zhejiang Provincial, and Chinese National Violin Competitions. The 12 years of music study has made her a mature musician despite her young age. She hopes to embrace music as a lifelong pursuit, and keep challenging herself to improve her skill and horizon as a musician.

Shivshankar Prasad is a pianist from Elk Grove Village, IL, and he is currently a student of Dr. Soyoung Kee. He has been playing piano since the age of five, and has participated in numerous competitions at the regional, state, and national level. Some of his recent accomplishments include winning prizes at the Sejong Music Competition, the Illinois State Music Teachers Association Competition, and the Society of American Musicians Competition. Shivshankar made his solo debut with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra in November of 2021.

Sreedevi Prasad is a junior at Conant High School. She is currently a student of Dr. Soyoung Kee, and has been studying piano since the age of seven. Sreedevi has participated in numerous regional and national competitions, and recently won prizes at the Sejong Music Competition. In addition to piano, she plays violin in her high school orchestra, and likes to travel in her free time.

Natalie Kwok made her Carnegie Hall debut as first prize winner of the American Protégé International Competition and has performed as soloist at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Southern California, Chateau de Chambord, Chambord Castle, and La Madeleine Church in France. She appeared as a soloist with the Seraphim Orchestra and Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings, and was prizewinner in competitions including the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, the Los Angeles Violincello Society, and finalist in the Osaka International Music Competition. Natalie is also an active orchestral and chamber musician. She has been a member of Chamber Music | OC’s distinguished Pre-College Program and is currently part of Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra. She actively contributes to fundraising activities in Orange County including Pacific Academy Foundation, benefit concerts in response to California’s wildfire emergencies, at assisted living homes and children’s therapeutic centers. Her teachers include Wendy Liu and Sarah Koo.