Author: Music and Stars Awards

Zhen Tat Kai, a native of Hong Kong, has embarked on his journey as a professional pianist by studying under the guidance of Mr. Tung Yee Tsun since 2021. Kai has developed a keen interest in playing classic, jazz, and modern piano music. Whenever he plays on stage, he exudes passion and finesse. His ardor for playing the piano is evident in each of his performances, as he showcases his varied playing skills and emotions.

This year has been a milestone for Kai, as he has achieved remarkable success in different music organizations and won several piano competitions worldwide. These accomplishments are a testament to his dedication, hard work, and exceptional musical talent.

Meet Lalita Vetchabutsakorn, a talented 10-year-old singer from Bangkok, Thailand. From a young age, Lalita enjoyed singing karaoke and dancing with her dad. She started taking vocal lessons in February 2022 with her coach, Ms. Onwara, after singing at home for a while.

Lalita has a passion for K-pop music, with BTS and Newjeans being her favorite K-pop groups. Her dream is to become a singer like them in the future.

Lalita is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Music & Stars Awards competition. She enjoyed practicing and singing the song for the competition and had a great time during the event. Lalita hopes to participate in the competition again next year and continue pursuing her passion for singing.

“My name is Gülce Hanişoğlu. I was born in Istanbul in 2007.

I have been studying in Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Istanbul State Conservatory for 5 years with Bengü Gülöksüz.

I have won the soloist auditions in 2019 when i was 13 years old to perform in a concert with the school orchestra.

I got the opportunity to attend masterclasses of Albrecht Mayer, Lucas Macias Navarro, and Gregor Witt in Istanbul /Turkey in 2022. I have learned that I need to use my instrument like part of my body and the important thing is to feel the music and reflect the same feeling to the people.

In 2022 I have skipped from 9th grade to 11th grade.

I practice around three hours a day.

My first online competition is CAKA Music Competition with 2nd price in 2021 and i got 4th price in London Classical Music Online Competition and i got 2nd price in International Global Art Competition in Antalya-Alanya.

I’m so happy that I got 1st prize Music & Stars Awards Online Competition in 2022.

My dream is to play on world-famous stages as a soloist and part of an orchestra.”

Born in Beijing, China in 2012, Selena Zhang started playing the piano at the age of five and a half. After trying various activities, including soccer, softball, ballet, tap, and chess, Selena discovered her love for the piano. Her first competition experience was in 2019 when she was seven, and since then, she has won several awards, including first place in the American Protege International Music Talent Competition Spring 2020, the 2021 Golden Classical Music International Competition, and the 2022 summer and fall Global Genius Competition.

In December of 2021, Selena Zhang began studying with Dr. Jenny Q Chai, founder of FaceArt Institute of Music. Under Dr. Chai’s tutelage, Selena Zhang has gained extensive knowledge about the piano and the different eras of music history. Dr. Chai has also taught her how to sight-read, identify wrong notes, and practice effectively. Selena Zhang’s dedication to practice, combined with Dr. Chai’s guidance, has helped her improve her technique, build confidence, and find joy in playing.

Selena Zhang practices for approximately two hours a day, beginning with 20 minutes of warm-ups, such as scales, arpeggios, Hanon exercises, and finger strength training. She then focuses on repertoire, with a keen eye on the quality of her playing. Selena Zhang favorite types of music are classical and pop. Classical music brings her a sense of calm, while some pieces evoke bold and strong emotions. Pop music is happy and upbeat, but can also convey strong feelings.

Selena Zhang’s greatest accomplishment to date is winning her first piano competition in 2019, with the help of her family, who provided support and guidance. Her piano teachers have also played a crucial role in teaching her how to express her feelings through music. To prepare for performances, Selena and her friends rehearse to build confidence and experience performing in front of an audience.

Selena’s ultimate dream is to become a professional pianist and use the power of music to bring joy and happiness to people’s lives. With her dedication and talent, she is well on her way to achieving this goal.

My name is Almz Jim Yu Shue, and I was born in Hong Kong in 2015. I discovered my love for the Djembe at the age of four when Mr. Daniel Odame Kissi visited my school and played his Djembe. The passion, heat, and raw sound of the music that Mr. Daniel played fascinated me so much that I decided to start learning from him.

After Mr. Daniel emigrated and moved to the UK, I began taking lessons with Mr. Kienou Mamadou and have been practicing with him for a year. I practice the Djembe for about two hours per week and sometimes even practice slapping my thighs in my daily routine to improve my skills.

In November 2022, I received my first award from a local Hong Kong music competition, the Children & Youth Arts & Culture Association. Since then, I have won several awards in both local Hong Kong and international music competitions. Through these competitions and busking, I am refining my skills and building my confidence.

Like any other child, I am a general student at the G.T. (Ellen Yeung) College (Junior Primary Section), and I also enjoy playing “GO” chess and fencing. I try to maintain a balance between my extracurricular activities, such as critical thinking, interactive communication, courage, facing challenges, self-learning, and problem-solving.

Although Hong Kong is widely known as a global metropolis with a bustling city life, it also has a diverse ecosystem and breathtaking views. Many Hong Kongers go hiking in the countryside during their free time to surround themselves with nature, and I often go hiking with my parents. Despite being the youngest climber to climb Hong Kong’s highest peak, I am planning to challenge Mount Everest soon.

“I hope to provide more opportunities for people to learn about the Djembe, which expresses the deepest thoughts of our original civilization and the colors of the universe, through my presentations.”

“My name is Nil Çalış, and I was born in Turkey in 2016. I am currently in my first year of study at METU College. One year ago, I began taking violin lessons from my teacher, Semra Fayez, in Ankara CAKA.

My preferred composer is Mozart, and I enjoy practicing every day.

Typically, I start my practice routine with scales and arpeggios and work for an average of 45 minutes daily.

In preparation for an upcoming competition, I worked closely with my violin teacher, Semra Fayez, to select a favorite piece to perform. Additionally, I collaborated with my piano teacher, Meral Mete, to perfect the accompanying piece. These experiences with my teachers have intensified my love for classical music and inspired me to pursue my dream of performing in concert halls worldwide.

Ultimately, my aspiration is to become an enlightened musician, sharing my passion for music with audiences worldwide. I strongly believe that music has the power to unite people from all walks of life.”

My name is Savanna Chen. I was born in United States in 2017. I started learning the flute since April 2022 with my teacher Ya-Jung Chuang from Taiwan and I absolutely love it ever since.

This is the first competition that I have entered and I am thrilled that I got the Gold Star Award. This means a lot to me as I have always loved music and enjoying playing music for my family and friends. Apart from flute, I also play other instruments such as piano and french horn. 

This year, I have entered the competition with my favorite song “twinkle twinkle little star”. I have been practicing 4-5 hours a week with different tempo and accompaniment along with 2 online flute lessons with my teacher.

My flute teacher Ya-Jung Chuang. We have 1 on 1 online classes twice a week. She was very patient and provided lots of encouragement throughout my journey, she helped me developed a strong interest in music. has always been very patient and provided lots of encouragement throughout my journey. She has inspired me, helped me developed a strong interest in music and helped build my confidence.

My dream would be to bring people joy through music in the future.”

Keita Goto is a 10-year-old boy residing in Tokyo, Japan. His passion for music was sparked at the age of 4, when he started attending various music classes, including violin, piano, and cello with his mother. It was during this time that he was introduced to the violin, and he decided to pursue it.

Last summer, Keita decided to challenge himself and applied for a competition for the first time. He was delighted and surprised to have won the second prize at the “International Junior Music Competition” in Tokyo and the third prize at the “Junior Classical Music Competition” in Japan. Performing in front of a large audience was an enjoyable experience.

At present, Keita is studying Bruch’s Violin Concerto and Mozart with Ms. Megumi Morishima, his teacher since last year. He looks forward to his weekly lessons as he enjoys learning and discovering how his playing improves each time. He devotes about 2 to 4 hours on weekdays and approximately 6 hours on weekends to practice. Half of his practice time is dedicated to basic exercises such as scales and etudes.

When preparing for competitions, Keita practices intensely, focusing on every sound, to ensure he plays beautifully. His dream is to play music with people from different countries and to make friends through music.

Fong Ching, a talented young pianist, was born in Hong Kong at the age of 14. He began his professional piano studies at the age of four under the tutelage of concert pianist and conductor Professor Andy Tung Yee Tsun. With a solid foundation in finger technique and a sensitive touch on the keyboard, Ching is quickly becoming one of the most promising classical pianists in the world. He approaches each performance with a poetic sense of musical thought, striving to convey a sense of perfection to his audiences.

In addition to his remarkable talent, Ching has also been the recipient of numerous international awards, showcasing his musical prowess on a global stage. His exceptional skills and dedication to his craft have set him on a path towards becoming one of the greatest pianists of his generation.