Faculty:
Hailed as “Polish Virtuoso,” Krystian Tkaczewski is pursuing his splendid piano career in USA, Asia and Europe. He had his triumph in having Carnegie Hall Debut in April 2007. Anthony Aibel (critic of New York Concert Review) wrote among others: Tkaczewski was elegant, showed in-depth knowledge, played with passion, showed power-house technic. Reading of Rachmaninov and of Prokofiev was excellent. Szymanowski was exquisitely shaped, showing lovely shadings and contrasts of dynamics. He showed devotion and natural affinity for music of his homeland.
Krystian Tkaczewski was born in 1980 in Tarnów, Poland. In 2000 Krystian became a student of Olga Rusina at the Academy of Music in Wrocław, from which he graduated in 2004 with a Master of Arts degree. In 2007 Krystian received a graduate diploma. In 2014, Krystian Tkaczewski received Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Hartt School, University of Hartford in the studio of professor Oxana Yablonskaya. Krystian was also awarded The Honor Regents Award, for the best graduating doctoral candidate of the Hartt School and prestigious induction to Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society.
Krystian has been a laureate of over 25 international piano competitions in such countries as: Greece (Athens), Italy, Spain (Madrid), Macedonia, Czech Republic and USA (i.e. Iturbi, Artists International, Bradshaw and Buono, 5 Towns, Joyce Dutka, American Protégé, Web Concert Hall).
Dr. Krystian Tkaczewski was invited to take part in various festivals such as: Chopin Festival in Marienbad, Paderewski Festival, Chopin Festival in Gaming, Austria, Chopin Fest in Kosovo, Chopin Festival in Antonin, Poland, Festival of Polish Pianists in Słupsk, Lato z Chopinem Festival in Busko-Zdrój, Chopin Forum in Wrocław, Inter-Fest Bitola in Macedonia, El Paso Chopin Festival, Chopin Festival in Budapest and recitals at the Chopin House in Żelazowa Wola and Royal Lazienki in Warsaw. In the June 2006 Krystian featured as a soloist with Polish Radio Orchestra during 50th Anniversary of Society of Polish Artist Musicians gala in Royal Castle in Warsaw
Dr. Tkaczewski has been frequently invited to adjudicate at international piano competitions: Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, Roma International Piano Competition, International Piano Competition in Carnegie Hall, Solhi Al Wadi Piano Competition in Damascus, Rosario Marciano Piano Competition in Vienna, Chopin International Piano Competition in Budapest, Osaka International Music Competition, American Liszt Piano Competition in Los Angeles , Ragusa-Ibla Piano Competition in Ragusa, San Jose International Piano Competition, Isidor Bajic Memorial in Novi Sad, Serbia, International Piano Competition in Troisdorf, Germany, Princess Lalla Meryem International Piano Competition in Rabat, Western Australia International Piano Competition in Perth, Teresa Carreno International Piano Competition in Miami, Chopin Competition of Asia, Gershwin International Competition in New York, Campillos International Pia ni Competition, Cesar Franck International Piano in Brussels.
Krystian has concertized on five continents and 38 countries: USA, Canada, Panama, Mexico, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Phillipines, Vietnam, Syria, Jordan, Kosovo, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Australia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine, Serbia, United Kingdom, Austria, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Andorra, Belgium, Brunei, Hungary and Macedonia. He featured with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Polish Radio Orchestra, Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Leopoldinum Orchestra, Connecticut Virtuosi, Tarnów Chamber Orchestra and the Wroclaw Chamber Orchestra, conducted by E. Cumming, Ł. Borowicz, Z. Graca , M. Gawroński, K. Górski, M. Kolaska, A. Mackiewicz.
Krystian is also highly regarded as the clinician, serving as a guest artist to the Universities and as the lecturer of many master classes in such countries as: USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, China and Poland. His unique presentation on the interpretation of Chopin’s Mazurkas attracted numerous music institutions around the world.
Recipient of several scholarships and awards including the Chopin scholarship in 1995, Wroclaw Music Academy Academic Scholarship for 2001-2004, the Polish Minister of Culture Scholarship in 2002,2005, 2007 (Mloda Polska), City of Tarnów President's Scholarship for 2001- 2002, Musical Club of Hartford 's E.B.Storrs Scholarship and Tadeusz Sendzimir Memorial Fund. He was awarded for his contribution to the cultural heritage of the State of Connecticut during Immigrant Day at State Capitol in Hartford in 2012. Krystian received proclamations for his achievements from Governor of Connecticut, Secretary of State of Connecticut, Mayor of Hartford. Krystian Tkaczewski received the prestigious Congressional Recognition in honor of “inspiring pianists throughout the world with the music of Chopin.” by US Congressman John Larson. In 2015, Krystian Tkaczewski received the prestigious title- The Ambassador of Tarnow, for promoting his home town in the world. In 2015 received from Minister of Culture of Poland the Medal Merit to Polish Culture for his activity promoting Polish music. In 2016, Krystian Tkaczewski has planted his own tree "oak fastigiata" in Park Zdrojowy in Busko in observance of his artistic and managerial achievements for Busko Zdroj. Moreover, He received the silver honorable badge from The Society of Lovers of Busko-Zdroj in July 2015. In 2021, maestro Krystian Tkaczewski was awarded with Gloria Artis Medal-Merit to Culture of Poland. Dr. Tkaczewski was awarded with the "sun" in the fame alley of Park Zdrojowy in Busko-Zdroj in the observance of the highest acclaim and respect for an extraordinary merit and gratitude for passion and engagement in the building the local culture and promoting city of Busko-Zdroj in Poland and worldwide.
Krystian Tkaczewski is an active member of the Society of Polish Musical Artists SPAM since 2004. Krystian is a founder and artistic director of Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford and the artistic director of Connecticut Chopin Foundation. Krystian Tkaczewski was an artistic director of International Chopin Festival “Lato z Chopinem” – named afer Barbara Hesse-Bukowska 2014-2025, as nominated by deceased Barbara Hesse- Bukowska. Krystian has been also a founder and artistic director of Paderewski International Piano and Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition in Busko-Zdroj. International Festival Ambassador of Tarnow, Maestro Krystian Tkaczewski and his guests, Future Stars International Piano Competition. Staring 2026 will have been appointed as the founder and artistic director of International Piano Festival "Music without Borders" in Busko-Zdroj. In October 2026, Dr. Tkaczewski will launch Chopin Chapter of Hartford Chopin International Piano Competition, being the main advisor and jury member of this event. In the year 2024, Dr. Tkaczewski was appointed as a Special Guest Artist of International Center of Xiamen Institute of Technology. Since 2025 has been an International Art Consultant and member of Professional Committee of the Piano Museum in Shenzhen, China in the observance of his distinguished achievements in the field of piano artistry and invaluable contributions to academic research.
Dr. Tkaczewski has received the prestigious “Extraordinary Ability in Arts” permanent residency in United States of America as one of a small percentage of those who have risen to the top in their field of endeavor.
Krystian Tkaczewski
Poland/USA
Artistic Director
Vovka Ashkenazy, who is of Russian and Icelandic parentage, began piano lessons at the age of six with Rögnvaldur Sigurjónsson in Reykjavík, where his family lived at the time. Ten years later he went to England to study with Sulamita Aronovsky at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He also benefitted from occasional study sessions with pianists such as Leon Fleisher and Peter Frankl.
Vovka Ashkenazy made his debut in London at the Barbican Centre in 1983 with the London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox, performing Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto. Since then, his career has taken him all across Europe, and to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the Americas. He has participated in the Marlboro Festival in Vermont, as well as the Edinburgh and Spoleto festivals. Orchestras he has appeared with include nearly all the major British orchestras as well as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Australian Chamber, the Berlin Symphony, the Berne Symphony and the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestras. Conductors he has worked with include his father, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Semyon Bychkov, Martin Fischer-Dieskau and Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, at venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, the Sydney Opera House, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Royal Festival Hall, London.
Vovka Ashkenazy is very active as a chamber musician and has recorded a CD of Italian music for clarinet and piano with Dimitri Ashkenazy, his brother, with whom he toured Japan in 1997, 2000 and 2002. He has also performed and recorded with his father, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and their recordings on DECCA include Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Rachmaninoff’s Suite for Piano Four Hands, Schumann’s Andante and Variations for Two Pianos, Two Cellos and Horn, a 2009 release of a CD with French music for two pianos, and a 2011 release of a two-piano CD entitled Russian Fantasy, which includes transcriptions by Vovka Ashkenazy of Borodin's Polovetsian Dances, as well as Mussorgsky's Night on the Bald Mountain. A further two-piano recording, with music by Howard Blake, came out in 2013. Their two-piano concert activities have recently included performances in Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK, as well as seven tours of the Far East, the most recent being Japan in April/May 2016. Vovka Ashkenazy has also worked together with the Reykjavík Wind Quintet and has released two CDs with this ensemble on the Chandos and the Cryston (Japan) labels.
Alongside his concert activities, Vovka Ashkenazy also devotes his time to teaching. He has given master classes in Europe, the United States, China, and South Korea, and has also coached on the chamber music courses at Pro Corda in the UK. He was Professor of Piano at the Conservatoire Gabriel Fauré in Angoulême, France, from 1998 until 2007, when he moved to Switzerland. In addition to his post at the International Piano Academy in Imola, he also teaches on the Master of Advanced Studies in Performance and Interpretation course at the Conservatory of Italian Switzerland (CSI) in Lugano.
Vovka Ashkenazy has contributed, through performances, to several charitable causes, including Action for Children and Cystic Fibrosis Trust in the UK, Telethon in Switzerland, and the Bridges Peace Foundation in Cambodia and the Philippines. He was made Honorary Artistic Adviser of the Guangzhou Opera House in November 2010, and is currently Artistic Director of the Rina Sala Gallo International Piano Competition in Monza, Italy.
He currently resides in Ticino, Switzerland, with his family
Vovka Ashkenazy
Iceland
Hironao Suzuki is widely recognized as a pianist carrying on the tradition of the Neuhaus method of the Russian Piano School and also as one of Japan’s leading piano teachers—most of his pupils have won prizes in national and international competitions.
Born in 1978, Mr. Suzuki studied at the Yamaha Music School since the age of three. He further studied at the Yamaha Master Class with the late Vera Gornostaeva, a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, for eight years since the age of 11. He then graduated from Accademia Pianistica “Incontri col Maestro” in Italy. While he was a student, Mr. Suzuki performed in Tokyo, Paris, Milan, and London, among other cities.
Mr. Suzuki was appointed as an overseas artistic research trainee for the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan in the fiscal year of 2002 and served for three years. He has studied with Vera Gornostaeva, Petras Geniusas, Fumiko Eguchi, Jun Kawachi, Takayuki Kuniya, Shinji Urakabe, Franco Scala, Piero Rattalino, Gérard Frémy, Riccardo Risaliti, and Leonid Margarius. He was tremendously influenced by advice from Alexei Nasedkin and Boris Petrushansky, as well.
He won a special prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, 6th place at the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, and 5th place at the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. In addition, Mr. Suzuki was a finalist at the Clara Haskil International Competition and the International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau, Germany. At the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, he received high acclaim for his solid technique, sense of structure, and rich lyricism. Mr. Suzuki’s determined efforts during the competition were featured in an NHK documentary, which gained a lot of attention when it aired nationwide.
He has been extremely active as a pianist since 2004.
He was chosen to play at the Sai-no-kuni Saitama Arts Center’s “Pianist 100” series, where Murray Perahia and many other outstanding pianists have performed in the past, and he was acclaimed as “an excellent contrast of masculine dynamism and touching lyricism.” In addition to recitals in Italy, France, Germany, and Japan, Mr. Suzuki has performed with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra, the Haydn Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, and the Gunma Symphony Orchestra. His recital in Kioi Hall, Tokyo, received good reviews, and the performance was aired on “NHK BShi Classical Music Club” for three consecutive years, rapidly gaining attention from those in the music field. He has also received good reviews for his duo performances with Ayako Uehara and Kazune Shimizu.
Mr. Suzuki released two CDs on the Harmony label: Etudes Symphoniques and Rachmaninoff. The late Hiroko Nakamura, a famous and influential pianist in Japan, commented on Mr. Suzuki’s Schumann album with the words, “such elastic phrasing can rarely be heard among Japanese pianists” and called it the “greatest album of all time.” This album received high acclaim from varied sources, including music magazines.
Currently, Mr. Suzuki is frequently invited to various masterclasses as a professor, and holds public lessons and a series of public seminars, which also receive good reviews. In 2018, he gave a lecture for the “Intensive Seminar” series hosted by The Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan, which has featured Bruno Rigutto and Vladimir Tropp in the past. Advertised as “Teachers all over the nation come to learn the pedagogic method from Mr. Suzuki to understand how he became a leading figure in piano pedagogy at such a young age,” the public learned his innovative teaching methods that combine his own theory with the Russian Piano School of piano pedagogy.
He was also a member of the faculty at "Ambassador Tarnow" International Festival in 2018 (Poland).
Mr. Suzuki is also invited regularly to be part of the jury in numerous international competitions such as:Cesar Franck International Piano Competition (Brussels) , Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition(Poland), International Chopin Piano Competition in ASIA, Future Stars International Piano Competition.
After leaving his post as full-time lecturer, Mr. Suzuki is currently a guest associate professor at the Nagoya College of Music and a lecturer at the Showa University of Music.
Hironao Suzuki
Japan
Doctor of Piano Performance, St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Music, Russia.
Department of the Chinese Conservatory of Music’s secondary school.
The Beijing Municipal Education Commission bestowed the title of “Outstanding Teacher Award” on vocational schools for their participation in skill competitions.
Teacher for the “Top Talents” Program at the China National Conservatory of Music.
Korean instrument manufacturer Young Chang’s appointed piano virtuoso for China.
Has served as music director for multiple international piano festivals.
He graduated from the St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in Russia and studied under Professor Ekaterina Murina, a renowned Russian People’s Artist and Head of the Piano Department.
Since 2009, he has served as a piano instructor at the middle school of the China Conservatory of Music. His
students have won numerous awards in both domestic and international competitions. One of his students, Yang Fan, was selected for the “Top Talent Development Program” of the China Conservatory of Music for the 2022-2023 academic year and was shortlisted for the main competition at the 19th Warsaw Chopin International Piano Competition in 2025.
In recent years, he has actively collaborated with several online platforms specializing in classical music, regularly disseminating classical music culture to music enthusiasts from various backgrounds. The platforms involved include Aimei Di Classical Music Channel and Joy Music Magazine.
Xuan Dong
China
Tanya Schwartzman is the Music Director of the Sharon Music Academy, which she founded in 1990. She is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano, a Master Teacher of the World Piano Competition, and a faculty member of several international summer music programs. Tanya is a recipient of the 2017, 2020, 2022, and 2023 "Top Teacher of the Year" Awards from Steinway & Sons. In 2023, Tanya became a Steinway Teacher and was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame for her achievements in piano and piano pedagogy.Tanya holds an MA in Musical Education from the prestigious Novosibirsk Conservatory (Russia) and conducted postgraduate studies at the Moscow Pedagogical University, where she subsequently taught piano pedagogy to future piano teachers. She is the author of several articles in Music Theory and Pedagogy and the book "Klever Keys Scales – Piano Scales for the Early Beginner." Among her students are many winners of local, national, and prestigious international piano competitions, including the International Young Artists Competition in Washington, DC, the Manchester Young Artist Competition in Connecticut, the Young Promise International Music Competition, and the Paderewski International Piano Competition. Tanya's students have been selected to perform in Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, and France, as well as on famous stages in the US, such as Carnegie Hall in New York and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Recently, her students have been featured in the popular PBS TV show "From the Top" and the WGBH radio show with Cathy Fuller. Tanya is the former vice president of MMTA and a board member of the New England Piano Teachers Association. She is frequently invited to serve as a judge at various piano competitions. She created and served as an anchor of the popular local cable TV show "Musical Moments with Tanya."
Tanya Schwartzman USA
Participants:
Ukrainian pianist Tetiana Shafran is the prize-winner of about 30 International piano competitions including 1 award and Gold medal of Olga Kern International Piano Competition (USA, New Mexico).
Tetiana is a Guest Artist at Shenzhen International Music Festival (China), Bosnia International Music Festival (Bosnia), Tolima International Piano festival (Colombia), Portland Piano International (USA), Gabala Music Festival (Azerbaijan), Milan Piano Series (Italy), Odyssey International Music Festival (USA) and many others.
She has performed in some of the prestigious concert halls of Europe, South and North America, Africa, Australia and Asia, including the Shenzhen Grand Theatre (Shenzhen, China), Lindeman Hall (Oslo, Norway), Llevellyn Hall (Canberra, Australia), Popejoy Concert Hall (NM, USA), Lied Center (Kansas City, USA), Main hall of Palau de la Musica (Valencia, Spain), Theatre Mohammed V (Rabat, Morocco), Sala Cecilia Meireles (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Felicja Blumental Music Center (Tel Aviv, Israel), Congress Hall (Gabala, Azerbaijan) and others. She performed with many orchestras and conductors, such as maestros D.Yablonsky, V. Sirenko, H. Earle, F. Krager, G.Glinka, R. Minczuk, M.Dyadyura and many others.
Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tetiana Shafran started playing piano at the age of 3.
Graduated from the Lysenko Special Music School and the National Music Academy of Ukraine with A. Vasin (2012) and O.Yablonskaya Piano Academy with prof. Oxana Yablonskaya (USA-Israel), from 2013-2018, (Spain-Israel).
Since 2025 Tetiana is Resident pianist of "Fryderyk Concert Hall" in Warshawa.
Tetiana Shafran, piano
www.tetianashafran.com
Tetiana Shafran
Ukraine
Nathan Zhang, 13-year old, from Cupertino, California. He is currently an 8th grader at the Harker School. He started piano learning when he was four and has been truly inspired with a passion for playing the instrument after going to many world-class pianists' local recitals in the San Francisco Bay area at his young age. He studied with Nancy Daggett Jensen for 6 years and has been influenced by distinguished pianists and educators including Yinfei Wang, Le Yu, and Hang Li. Since the age of 10, he has maintained an ongoing mentorship with his master teacher, Victor Rosenbaum, whose artistic guidance has played a formative role in his development.
As an accomplished local player, Nathan was the winner of various local, national, and international competitions, including first prizes and top prizes for more than 2 dozen of competitions including US open music competition, Hartford Chopin Competition, Berlin Class Music Competition, Opus Music Competition (State and National), Encore Young Artist Music Competition in US, The Great Composer Competition– the Art of Piano, North California Young Talents Competition, Birmingham International Music Competition, Euterpe Music Awards, “Exceptional Young Artist Special Prize" of Golden Classical Music Awards" International Competition, International Mozart Competition Vienna, Classical Music Competition, BTHVN music competition. He has been invited to perform at the Carnegie Hall three years in a row during 2022-2025.
Nathan also has been regularly participating in music festivals each summer since 9 year old to attend various masterclasses and performances. He also actively engaged as student ambassador of Steinway Society the Bay Area, interviewing world-class pianists and supporting promoting concerts among the student communities locally. He plays tennis in his leisure time, and loves reading and doing public speech. His dream is to share the beauty of the music and can bring joy and positive influence with his playing with more audiences in the world.
Nathan Zhang
USA
Born in Arizona, Ayla is a classical pianist and violinist, and a top-prize winner in many national and international competitions. She began learning the piano at the age of three and made her concerto debut with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson at six, having won first place in their competition. Since then, she has performed as both a pianist and a violinist with many orchestras such as Orchestra Manhattan, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Repertory Orchestra, Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orches, Orquestra do Algarve of Portugal, Sierra Vista Symphony, among others, performing music of Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Saint Saens, Prokofiev and Mendelssohn. Conductors Ayla has collaborated with include Maurizio Colasanti, Deyan Pavlov, Michael Butterman, Laurent Brack, David Wroe, Toru Tagawa in the United States, Japan, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria, and France
Ayla has won first prize twice at the Chopin International Piano Competition in Connecticut. She has won many competitions for both piano and violin, such as the Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition in Poland, the WPTA Spain Piano Competition, Mimas International Piano Competition in Italy, Orbifold Global Music Competition in Bulgaria, Pacific Stars International Piano Competition, Sound Espressivo Music Competition, Young Artist Piano Seminar Concerto Competition at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and many more.
She has participated and performed in many festivals and master classes across the world, including the Colburn Piano Seminar, Cleveland Institute of Music Young Artist Piano Seminar, Lato z Chopine in Busko-Zdroj Poland, Heifetz PEG, SIMA classics in Legnica Poland, Piano Concerto Festival in Faro Portugal, Paris France and Florence Italy, International Piano Festival in Tarnow Poland, Orbifold Global Music Festival in Bulgaria, Philadelphia International Music Festival in Cremona Italy and Miami.
Ayla is currently the concertmaster of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra. She has also performed in many local concerts, including the Tucson Folk Festival, the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music Gala, and others.
Also, she is attending the School of Ballet Tucson, has participated in some of their professional productions, such as the Nutcracker, and has performed a lead role in Spirit Garden.
Most recently, Ayla performed Liszt's Totentanz with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra at the Carson Center, KY, and also the Mozart Violin Concerto and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto with the Orchestra Manhattan at Carnegie Hall, NY.
Ayla Moreno
Japan/USA
Olivia Yu is 15 years old and has been playing piano for 10 years. She has won 2 honorable mentions and third prize at the Chopin International Competition in Connecticut, and top prizes for 4 years at the MMTA's Bay State Piano Contest in Massachusetts. She has been studying with Ms. Tanya Schwartzman for the past 5 years. She also spends time dancing, drawing, playing volleyball and tennis.
Olivia Yu
USA
Emily Xinyan Zhou was born in Tianjin China on 2016，moved to Canada at the age of 1. She began her piano studies at the age of 4 with her father .then with Tina kakabadze .She is currently studying with Quang Nguyen Dang since age of 8. Her first public performance on the stage was at age 5, won the Golden medal and Second Prize category festival 6- 11Y in Festival-concours de musique de Sherbrooke ; Won first prize category 5- 7y in Montreal classical music festival. At age 6，won first prize in piano recital category 6-12y and first prize category concerto 6- 11 y in Festival-concours de musique de Sherbrooke; Won first prize category 5-7y in Montreal classical music festival. Won overall pix in Ottawa division in Steinway piano competition Canada. She was invited and played 3 pieces of Chopin ,Debussy and Tchaikovsky in Festival Stella Musica 8e Edition . At age 7, Won third prize in Category Piano talent under 10y in Chopin international competition in Hartford in USA .Won Golden medal in Concours de la capital in Quebec city .won second prize in category recital under 11y in festival concours de musique de Sherbrooke. She was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York city as overall prix winner of Steinway piano competition Canada Ottawa division .She was also invited to perform at Place des art in GALA MINI PIANO in Montreal. At age 8,she won first prize in Boston international music competition Group A under 10 .She was invited to perform at le Gesu at Stella musical festival . At age 9, Emily attended Todi international music master festival ,she performed in 2 solo concert and performed Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 1st Movement with the orchestral ensemble. She won Third prize in the 13th Cesar Franck international piano competition in December 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. she attended masterclasses with Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Eduardo Delgado, Vivian Li, Michail Lifitsz.Andreas Frolich and Philippe Raskin . Emily also likes dance ,singing ,swimming and figure skating
Emily Xinyan Zhou
China/Canada
Lyu Yuan, born in 2013 in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, is currently 13 years old and studying at the Affiliated High School of China Conservatory of Music. He has studied under Professor Chen Xuejun from the School of Music of Guizhou Normal University, Professor Du Jing and Associate Professor Yang Yang from Sichuan Conservatory of Music. In 2025, he was admitted to the Affiliated High School of China Conservatory of Music and now studies under Professor Dong Xuan from China Conservatory of Music. Award Experience:
●2018: First Prize in the Children's Group of the Zunyi Sanyi Cup Piano Competition.
●2019: First Prize in the Chongqing Pearl River恺撒堡 (Kayserburg) Piano Competition.
●2020: First Prize in the Sichuan Final of the 18th Xinghai Cup National Piano Competition.
●2023: First Prize in the Germany Wiesbaden International Piano Competition.
●2023: 6th Place in the Professional Group 1 of the 30th Chopin International Piano Competition for Young Musicians (Top 3 positions were vacant).
●2024: Second Prize in the China Final of the Singapore International Youth Piano Competition.
●2025: First Prize in the Professional Junior Group A of the 8th MGNS "New Horizons of Music" European Youth International Music Competition.
Lyu Yuan
China
Elena is 12 years old, currently a 6 rd grader at Sharon Middle School in Sharon, Massachusetts. She has been studying piano with Ms. Tanya Schwartzman at Sharon Music Academy since she was 5 years old. She loves learning piano and music theory. She always considers these two as her favorite classes. She has won several competitions including Third Place at the Chopin International Piano Competition in Harford, CT in 2026 and 2023, First Place (2023 and 2024) and Second Place (2025) at the Massachusetts Music Teachers Association Bay State Piano Contest, Second Place at Steinway Piano Competition in 2024,
Second Place at 9th Paderewski International Special Online Piano Competition in 2024. She appreciates the funs music brings to her life. She enjoys attending
concerts and has seen performances by acclaimed artists such as Evgeny Kissin, Mitsuko Uchida, Itzhak Perlman, András Schiff, Daniil Trifonov, Yuja Wang, Lang Lang, Hélène Grimaud, Jan Lisiecki, Pablo Ferrández, and Ray Chen, among others. Besides music, she enjoys reading, crafting, drawing, skiing, and figure skating, as well as playing field hockey and tennis.
Elena Zhang
USA
Born in 2012, she is currently a seventh‑grade student at the Middle School Affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She studies under Professor Lai Yuanpei and Teacher Wang Xinran from the Middle School Affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music.
Awards
• Grand Prize at the Finals of the 8th German Obermüller (Qingdao) International Piano Open Competition, 2023
• Gold Medal in Children Group C at the Asia-Pacific Finals of the 11th Mendelssohn International Piano Competition, 2023
• First Prize in Grade 1 Group at the China-Korea International Piano Competition, 2019
• Platinum Gold Award in Children Group C at the Beijing Division of the 3rd Xingyue International National Piano Competition, 2019
Mila Dong
China
Agnus Cai started learning to play the piano at the age of five and has been under the tutelage of Tanya Schwartzman at Sharon Music Academy in Massachusetts for eight years.
Agnus has received various awards in youth piano competitions over the years, including 1 st prize in Crescendo International competition in 2020; 1 st place in the Young Promise Piano competition in 2021; 1 st place in the XIV Chopin International Piano competition in Hartford, CT in 2023; 1 st places in the Bay Sate piano competition in 2023 and 2024, 2 nd place in Nepta Ruth Davidson piano competition in 2025; 2 nd place in the young artists category in the XVII Chopin International competition in 2026; Excellence award and Rachmaninoff award in 2026 URI extravaganza among others. Agnus has received the NEPTA Nancy Oliva scholarship and the Chaminade piano scholarship in the past few years.
Besides playing the piano, Agnus also spends many hours on Ballet training. Agnus is an eager traveler. She enjoys listening to music from different parts
of the world and likes to read in her spare time.
Agnus Cai
USA
Born on September 29, 2010, Fan Chengran is currently a piano major at the Middle School Affiliated to China Conservatory of Music, where she studies under Dr. Dong Xuan, an accomplished young pianist. She embarked on her piano journey at the age of five. With solid technical skills and expressive musical interpretation, she has achieved remarkable results in a host of prestigious competitions, including the Steinway National Youth Piano Competition, Lanzhou International Piano Open, Clara Schumann Piano Competition, Liszt-Bartók International Music Competition, and Maisen Cup Shandong Youth Piano Competition. In January 2025, she successfully staged her debut solo recital in Jinan, demonstrating impressive artistic potential and exceptional stage command
Fan Chengran China
Thirteen-year-old Alex An is a multi-instrumentalist whose musical journey began at the age of three with the piano, followed by the violin at age six. His deep curiosity for music also led him to explore the viola and vocal performance. Alex has won numerous awards in various competitions, such as the Gramophone and Crescendo International Music Competitions. He has also performed at Carnegie Hall on multiple occasions.
Beyond music, Alex is also an avid competitive athlete who excels in both tennis and basketball. He has discovered that the strategic anticipation required on the court precisely mirrors the indispensable rhythmic precision demanded in musical performance. This cross-disciplinary balance enables him—when interpreting complex repertoire—to maintain the focus and composure of an athlete, while never sacrificing the fluidity and expressiveness of an artist.
Alex An
USA
Sophia has studied piano with Ms. Tanya Schwartzman since age five. She has won top prizes at regional and international piano competitions, including the Chopin International Piano Competitions in Hartford CT, the Steinway Society of Massachusetts Piano Competition, the International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington D.C., the Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition in Poland, and the Bay State Piano Contests. Sophia has
performed at prestigious venues and festivals, including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the International Chopin Festival in Busko-Zdrój Poland, the International Piano Festival in Tarnow Poland, and the Classical Hugs International Music Festival in Estonia.
Sophia Popescu
USA
Aniela Jagna Wybraniec (born in 2007) is a graduate of the State Music School Complex in Kielce, where she studied piano under Jacek Ciołczyk.She has honed her skills in masterclasses led by professors such as Tatiana Shevchenko, Katarzyna Vernet, Olga Łazarska, Agata Nowakowska-Gumiela, Tamás Ungár, and Konrad Skolarski.She is a prize-winner at numerous national and international piano competitions, including the 2nd Prize at the International Music Association Gloria Artist Spring Music Competition in Vienna.
Aniela Jagna Wybraniec
Poland
Matthew began learning piano at the age of six and currently studies with Ms. Tanya Schwartzman and Dr. Daniel Neyman. Matthew has received multiple top awards at state and reginal competitions, including the Bay State Piano Contests, the URI Piano Extravaganza in Rhode Island, Young Artist Piano Competition in Westfield MA, and the Little Mozarts Piano Competition. Matthew has performed at notable venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the International Piano Festival in Tarnow Poland.
Matthew Popescu
USA
Layla Guan, age 11, is a young pianist from California, USA. She began studying piano at age six and has already appeared in numerous international competitions and festivals. In 2025, she performed with the Savaria Symphony Orchestra in Vienna, Austria. In 2026, she was awarded Second Prize at the Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford.
Her recent distinctions include top prizes in the IPPA International Piano Competition, US Open Music Competition, and X Future Stars Piano Competition. In 2024, she was selected for the final round of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth, and has also received first prizes in the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition, Golden Classical Music Awards, and other international competitions, including invitations to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Layla has participated in the Ignite Music Festival for three consecutive years. Alongside her musical studies, she enjoys ballet, swimming, and art.
Layla Guan
USA
Born and raised in New York, Sarah currently studies the piano at The Juilliard School’s Preparatory Division under Mr. Ernest Berretta and practice coach, Mr. Baron Fenwick. She is a proud recipient of a full-tuition scholarship at Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program.
Sarah often participates in recitals, masterclasses, and competitions locally in the U.S. as well as in Asia and Europe. She enjoys not only solo performances, but additionally she collaborates with other musicians for chamber ensembles, musical pit orchestra, and concertos as well. She has been growing as a community-oriented pianist performing extensively in various settings.
During the 2025-2026 season, Sarah’s chamber music group from her high school became a laureate at the prestigious Young Musicians Concert at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in NYC through performing Schumann’s Piano Quintet Op.44.
In May 2026, Sarah is to collaborate with MAP Orchestra performing Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 at Alice Tully Hall in NYC which is a sold-out public concert.
In the past years, Sarah has received numerous top prizes and recognitions from established organizations such as Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, CT, The American Association For Development of the Gifted And Talented (AADGT), Vienna International Music Festival, etc.
In July 2024, after 4 years of formal piano studies, Sarah had made her concerto debut in Perugia, Italy, performing J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No.7. That summer, she also received the Gold Award for a chamber music competition in Vienna, Austria through performing Beethoven's Spring Sonata with her peer violinist.
Sarah has had opportunities to be on stage at notable recital halls in Carnegie Hall (NYC), The Cité de la musique (Paris), Suntory Hall (Tokyo), The Musikverein (Vienna), etc. yet she also enjoys performing in warm and cozy venues in small towns where she can be connected with the audience and able to feel a sense of community.
Sarah hopes to become a professional musician, and she would like to make a genuine effort in preserving the beautiful tradition of classical music.
Sarah Nazari
USA
Valerie Tam
Canada
Valérie is 17 years old and she had started her musical journey at the age of 4. She is studying piano performance at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, Boston, USA.
Valérie had won numerous first place awards and scholarships, in USA, Hong Kong, Dubai, Austria, Switzerland and most notably absolute first prizes with scholarships in WPTA Finland, Italy (Città di San Donà di Piave) and Singapore. Locally, she was the grand trophy and Bach trophy winner in the CCC Toronto international music festival (2021, 2023) and Overall prize winner of the Steinway Piano Competition Toronto (14-18 years) in 2023. and won first
prizes with scholarships in local and provincial competitions. In 2022, she was the second prize winner of the OMNI music competition in Montreal and she was invited to play at the final stage of the Osaka International Music Competition in Osaka, Japan, Piano Neuchâtel Val de Travers in Neuchâtel, Switzerland and Globe international piano competition in the Netherlands in 2023-24.
Her Canadian performances include both locally and in Quebec and Vancouver to internationally, at the Carnegie Hall, Van Cliburn Hall, Mixon Hall and Warner Hall in USA, Tokyo, Japan, Conservatoire de musique Neuchâtelois, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the Polish Embassy in Vienna, Austria, and Esplanade theatres on the Bay, Singapore.
She has worked in masterclasses with numerous musicians and most recently Professors Dang Thai Song, Kevin Kenner, Krzysztof Jablonski, Ronan O’Hora, Stanislav Ioudenitch, and Vanessa Latarche. She participated at prestigious festivals like Piano Texas, Cleveland international piano Institute, Piano Oberlin, Vancouver Chopin Academy, Musique Orford, Philadelphia Young Pianist Academy and International Masterclass course for young pianist at the Frederic Chopin Institute. She had also collaborated with various string ensembles and her most memorable performance was debuting with the orchestra in 2018 and played with the Melbourne Arts Orchestra. Her music is published on music platforms, like Apple Music and Spotify.
Besides music, Valérie danced ballet and volunteers at the National ballet school of Canada. She speaks English, French, Cantonese, Spanish and Japanese.
Hancheng Xue
China
In 2025, Hancheng Xue was admitted to the Middle School Affiliated to China Conservatory of Music. He studies piano under the guidance of Dr. Dong Xuan, a
distinguished teacher at the Middle School Affiliated to China Conservatory of Music, receiving systematic and professional piano performance training.
Awards & Experience Hancheng Xue has participated in various domestic and international art competitions successively, and has won numerous awards with his solid piano skills and sensitive musical perception.
• First Prize in Piano Group C3, 2nd National Youth Arts Festival "YINGCAI AIYUE" 2025
Born in 2005, Minami Asai began studying piano at the age of five.
She has received numerous awards in national and international competitions, including First Prize in the Professional Course (Group I) at the 15th Hong Kong International Piano Competition and First Prize in the A3 Professional, University Student, and Open Division of the 3rd Tokyo International Youth Piano Competition. She was awarded the Best Prize in Category E and was a finalist in Category F at the PTNA Piano Competition National Finals. Additional achievements include Fifth Prize in the High School Girls Division of the Japan Classical Music Competition and Third Prize in the High School Division of the Beten Music Competition. She has also received top prizes at the Kariya International Music Competition, earning the Grand Prize and special awards from both the Kariya City Board of Education and the Kariya City Council.
As an active young pianist, she performed in the 11th Soshinkai Fresh Concert, featuring performers selected through audition.
In 2024, she participated in the Kawai Piano Masterclass, where she received special lessons from Professors Andrei Pisarev and Pavel Nersessian.
She is currently studying with Hironao Suzuki, Koki Shimizu, and Atsuko Shimizu, while also receiving specialized finger-training instruction from Mayumi Kato.
She is currently in her third year of the Piano Performance Course at Nagoya College of Music.
Minami Asai
Japan
Born in 2004Graduated from the Piano Performance Course, Nagoya College of Music.Currently enrolled in the Master’s Program in Instrumental Music (Piano), Graduate School of Music, Nagoya College of Music.Received piano instruction from Hirohisa Suzuki, Shohei Sekimoto, and Takashi Kume.
Sora Hayashi
Japan
He has received numerous awards in national and international competitions.
Yuya Seiki is 17 years old and began studying piano at the age of 3. He is currently studying under Hironao Suzuki.
His main achievements include the All Japan Student Music Competition, in which he was selected for the national round in the 75th, 76th, and 77th editions, and won 2nd Prize in the Junior High School Division at the 78th edition. In addition, he received the Argerich Arts Foundation Award at the Kitakyushu Regional Round of the 76th edition. He also participated in the national rounds of the PTNA Piano Competition, winning the Best Prize in the Junior G Grade at the 48th edition and a prize in the G Grade at the 49th edition. In international competitions, he was awarded the Gold Prize and Grand Prix in the Junior High School Division at the 14th European International Piano Competition in Japan, and 1st Prize at the 7th Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition Japan (Category F). He also won 1st Prize in the “Young Virtuosi” category at the 2025 X Future Stars International Piano Competition. He has appeared at the Beppu Argerich Music Festival in Oita and more recently at La Folle Journée TOKYO 2026. He is a recipient of the 12th Yasuko Fukuda Scholarship.
He has participated in masterclasses with A. Reichert, J. Rouvier, M. Schirmer, H. Sigfridsson, E. Strosser, W. Świtała, K. Tkaczewski, M. Voskresensky, and T. Zelikman.
Yuya Seiki
Japan
EducationNagoya College of MusicBachelor of Music, Piano Performance Course (Currently in 3rd year)Studying under: Prof. Hironao Suzuki and Lecturer Atsushi ImadaHamamatsu Gakugei High School, Music CourseGraduated with Honors (Special Scholarship Student)Studied under: Yusuke Maeda
Awards & Competitions The 51st Kawai Piano Competition (National Finals) – Gold Prize, Course B The 50th Kawai Piano Competition (National Finals) – Bronze Prize, Course C The 24th International Chopin Piano Competition in ASIA (Online Final) – Gold Prize Masterclasses & Festivals Hamamatsu International Piano Academy 2023 – Completed Selected Performance Experience "Yumemizuki" – Piano Concert by Nagoya College of Music Students, Kawai Nagoya Concert Salon "Boulez" (October 2025) Okura Charity Lobby Concert 2025, Okura Act City Hotel Hamamatsu (April 2025) Concert by Male Students of Hamamatsu Gakugei High School Music Course, Create Hamamatsu (September 2024)
Teachers Sachiyo Sugita, Mari Toyama, Yusuke Maeda, Kazumasa Matsumoto, Atsushi Imada, Hironao Suzuki
Taiga Kageyama
Japan
Awarded the Best Prize in the G Category and the Intermediate Two-Piano Division at the PTNA Piano Competition National Finals, and selected for the Pre-Grand Prix Division. Won First Prize in the Nagoya Regional Round (High School Division) of the 77th Student Music Concours of Japan and First Prize in the High School Division of the 7th Meion Piano Competition. Received Second Prize and a scholarship at the 2022 Dryad Piano Academy. Won Second Prize in the F Division of the 3rd Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition JAPAN, and was also awarded the Russian Music Prize. Graduated from the second cohort of the Sony CSL Academy. She is currently studying under Hironao Suzuki and Atsushi Imada.
Riona Yamauchi
Japan
Yeoncheon International Piano Competition – Bronze Prize 48th PTNA Piano Competition – Silver Prize (Class E) 47th PTNA Piano Competition – Best Performance Award (Class D) 1st Gunma International Competition – 3rd Place Future Stars International Piano Competition (Junior Division) – 1st Place 23rd Chopin International Competition in Asia – Silver Prize 8th Europe International Competition – Gold Prize. Currently studying under Hironao Suzuki and Marin Suzuki.
Saki Yoshida
Japan
Miki Hasegawa began playing the piano at the age of three. She has been studying under Hironao Suzuki since she was eight years old and is currently studying at Showa University of Music and Showa Piano Art Academy under Hironao Suzuki and Fumiko Eguchi.
She has won numerous awards including the Best 5 Award at the 46th PTNA Piano Competition Pre Superior Grade, the 2nd Prize at the 32nd Japan Classical Music Competition Piano Division High School Category, the Gold Prize, Soloist Award, and NIFC Award at the 27th Chopin International Piano Competition in ASIA University Students Category, and the Grand Prix in the Future Stars International Piano Competition Category “Young Virtuosi” in 2021 along with others.
She gave her solo recital in Tokyo and has performed with orchestra.