Prep School Students Win Piano & Instrumental Competitions
Preparatory School Division
Students from the Carnegie Mellon Music Preparatory School competed in the Ninth Pittsburgh International Performance Competition & Festival from May 20-27, 2024, held both online and in person at the Fort Pitt Piano Company. Students were required to present two pieces of contrasting style and were evaluated by distinguished jurors who are world-class performers and educators. Winners are invited to perform at the winners' concert at Geneva College on June 1, 2024.
Students from CMU's Preparatory School took home multiple awards including the First Prizes in all the piano solo & duet age groups, plus prizes in the instrumental and chamber music competitions.
Preparatory School Piano Solo Winners
Children A: (8 years old and younger)
First Prize: Alex Shen
Second Prize: Claire Lin
Honorable Mention: Joy Liu
Children B: (9-12 years old)
First Prize: Emili Stahovic
Second Prize: Anthony Yu, Kushagra Kiran
Third Prize: Leo Meyer
Honorable Mention: Miriam Peng, Amy Ai
Youth A: (13-15 years old)
First Prize: Alexander Bao Chen
Second Prize: Nancy Cao, Prakhar Kiran
Third Prize: Soham Dam
Honorable Mention: Xudong Zhou
Youth B: (16-18 years old)
First Prize: Alexander Fu
Second Prize: Evan Park
Third Prize: Jason Chen, Andrew Li
Preparatory School Piano Duet Winners
Children B: (9-12 years old)
First Prize: Amy Ai and Jamie Chen (Pearl Girls)
Second Prize: Vickie Xu and Joy Liu
Third Prize: Julian Parker and Austin Liu,
Cindy Ding and Adeline Ong
Youth B: (16-18 years old)
First Prize: Evan Park and Soham Dam (Piano Sforzando)
Preparatory School Instrumental Winners
Children A: (8 years old and younger)
Second Prize: Masaki Shiratori
Preparatory School Chamber Music Winners
Children B: (9-12 years old)
First Prize: Sophie Ma, piano; Alice Tang, violin
Youth A: (13-15 years old)
First Prize: Neeta Yechoor, Yalkin Kaynar
Youth B: (16-18 years old)
First Prize: Alexander Fu, piano; Nadia D'Arrigo, violin; Jeffery Zhang, clarinet
Third Prize: Neeta Yechoor, piano; Yalkin Kaynar, violin; Bridget Yun, cello
All of the students above study at the Carnegie Mellon Music Preparatory School.
Earlier this month, two students of Luz Manríquez, Director of the Piano Division of the Music Preparatory School, also won two of the top prizes in the Advanced Honors Awards Competition sponsored by the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association. The winners performed at the winners' concert on May 15 at the Pittsburgh Youth Chamber Orchestra School of Music Recital Hall.
Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association Competition
Elementary Level
First Prize: Leo Meyer
Advanced Level
First Prize: Evan Park
American Prize: Evan Park
Additionally, four students of Luz Manríquez placed in the Lois Streator & Lois Smith Memorial Competition of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association this spring. The Streator-Smith Competition began in 1992 to recognize talent in students in grades 7 through 12. Participants each presented a 12-minute program composed of two pieces from different periods, and the winners received a cash prize and performed at the winners' concert on April 20.
Preparatory School Lois Streator and Lois Smith Competition Winners
Lower Division: (7th to 9th grade)
Third Place: Angela Li
Upper Division: (10th to 12th grade)
Second Place: Evan Park
Third Place: Andrew Li
Honorable Mention: Prakhar Kiran
Congratulations to all the winners!