Author: Music and Stars Awards

“I was born and grew up in Osaka, Japan. I’m 19 years old. I started playing the marimba 4 years ago. I performed on a  Japanese TV program in 2019 called “Untitled Concert”, which is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest running  classical TV program. Recently, I have been studying with Mr. Shinsuke Ishihara for a year. I won the third prize in the 22^nd OSAKA International Music Competition in 2021 with his help. 

I like classical, jazz, pop, brass band, Japanese Anime songs, and marimba original songs. I especially like Symphony No. 9,  E MINOR, OP. 95, “From the New World” by Antonin Dvorak, and “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin. 

I practice the marimba almost every day. First, I do the scale sheet, chromatic scale, and arpeggio for about 10 minutes. Second,  I play the song that I am currently practicing from the beginning to the end. Third, I check the points I missed and the important  points that my teacher instructed me on in the last lesson for about 20-30 minutes. Finally, I repeatedly play the song from the  beginning to the end again for about 1 to 2 hours on average. 

I research the competitions in which I’m going to participate as some of them have different examination methods. I need to change the way I play depending on the competitions, so I spend some time studying the requirements. I put on the outfit which I wear at competitions and practice at home while wearing it right before competitions. 

I study with Mr. Shinsuke Ishihara. He is a great marimbist, performer, & teacher. He teaches me not only how to play but  also body movements and how to appeal to the audience. He always says that our goal is to make our audience happy. I think  it is very important. I am a scholarship student at Osaka University of Arts and Mr. Koji Takata, the Head of the Music  Department, also says the same thing. He tells me that I should always look up and be confident, and also to chase my dream. 

When I was 16, I won the music audition to be on a TV program called “Untitled Concert”. There were 749 performers on the  program, and only 6 performers were selected from among them. I was one of them. Then, I was given the chance to perform  with the world-famous conductor, Mr. Keitaro Harada, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. It was such an exciting, fun  moment of my life and I will never forget it! Therefore, I would like to improve my skills and perform with them again as a  soloist in the future. I will keep practicing until I achieve this. 

Another dream is that I would like to have my marimba music used as BGM in the battle stage for the game called “Monster  Strike”. Its music is a mixture of classical and pop, and it’s very artistic. It would be so exciting if my music could be used  in a game! 

I would like to volunteer to perform in front of refugees and people in need. I would love to play some pieces of music for  them because I think it will help take their minds off their problems and give them a happy memory to hold onto. This is  actually why I started playing the marimba. I really feel that the sounds of the marimba have the ability to heal and bring joy.”

“Thank you very much for the opportunity to share my story. My name is Sakura Komatsu. I was born in Tokyo in 2013 and first started playing the violin when I was two years old. Although I do not remember it, my violin journey began when I pointed at a violin player on TV and said, “I want this, too.” My first competition experience was in 2019. Since then, I have won several prizes, including 1^st Prize at the Cecilia International Music Competition and 1^st Prize at the Japan Junior Violin Competition. I also won the Gold Prize at the Shimoda International Music Competition and performed as a soloist with a string quintet in a prize-winners’ concert. 

I am currently studying with Ms. Mitsuki Matsuda, who has guided me since the beginning of my journey, and Prof. Kazuki Sawa, the former president of Tokyo University of the Arts. I really enjoy their lessons because they teach me not only violin techniques but also the joy of playing music. After lessons, I always go home feeling inspired and with a sense of fulfillment. 

I usually practise for four hours a day, starting with 45 minutes on scales and Sevcik, 45 minutes on etudes, and the rest of the time on repertoires. Before and after my practice, I always do a set of exercises to avoid play-related pain. These also help me to get into practice mode. As I have grown older, it has become very important to keep the right balance between my academic work and violin practice, so I try to think about the quality of the practice rather than the quantity. To improve the quality, I thoroughly read the score and comments from my mentors before playing a piece. I love to practise because I truly enjoy the trial and error process, finding what works for me and what does not. This experiment-like aspect of practice is very exciting. 

One of my greatest aspirations is to become good at communicating through my violin as I dream of becoming a violinist who can express the various moods and characters of each piece of music. I would like to enable my violin to sing in many colours.”

“I was born in Toulouse, France, in 2006. I have been studying for 10 years at the Toulouse Conservatory with Véronique Grange and François Henry and I obtained my piano Diploma with the Congratulations of the Jury as well as my Chamber Music Diploma. This year, I passed the entrance exam to the National Superior Conservatory of Paris where I will study with Marie-Josèphe Jude from september. I also participate in masterclasses with great teachers such as Gérôme Granjon and Jacques Rouvier.

I practice the piano 5 hours a day. I did my first competition at the age of 8 and I won 14 first prizes, 2 second prizes and 1 third prize in national and international competitions.

I am lucky enough to be invited to play in festivals in France, solo or with orchestra and I also work with a soprano singer for opera recitals.

I am very attracted by the music of 20th century composers such as Ravel, Debussy or Rachmaninov and the Spanish music of Albeniz and Mompou. I also listen to great rock bands like Pink Floyd or Genesis to relax and have another approach to sound.

I’m very interested in video as a way to bring classical music to a wider audience and I’m very proud to have won the “Crown Of Stars” twice for best video!

I participate in charity concerts like the next one in october 2022. On this occasion I will be very happy to play with the great Cuban jazz pianist Rolando Luna and the famous French mandolinist Julien Martineau for the association “Action femmes 31” which helps women in need.

To end with, I would like to thank Music & Stars Awards for the encouragement to work again and again to reach the best!”

Classical Guitarist
Manni Wu was born in Jiangxi, China. Master and Concertexam Degree was graduated with the highest Marks  at Duesseldorf Robert Schumman Hochschule. She took successful part in several master classes with Carlo Marchione (Italy), Gabriel Bianco (France), Marcin Dylla (Poland), Marco Tamayo (Cuba), Ricardo Gallen (Spain) and Thomas Mueller-Pering (Germany). 

“I like to listen to different kinds of Music, Classical, Jazz, Pop and so on.

I like to practice, it’s interesting for me because I can get the fun and the achievement. It’s like climbing the Mountain, you meet the difficult points and you find a way to solve them and at the end, you will touch the Top. I practice a lot, 6 hours more or less. Then I do the warm-up exercises, which is very necessary. 

During the Bachelor, I studied at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou where I studied with Prof. Bastian Hildner (Germany). He gave me many ideas on how to practice correctly, how to arrange my time for daily practice, and how to build confidence on the stage.

I studied Master and Concert exam Degree at Duesseldorf Robert Schumman Hochschule with Prof. Joaquin Clerch (Cuba). He is the greatest teacher in my mind. His lessons are relaxed, and you can change yourself immediately. You will know what real Music should be and how to create your own character.”

I am Nicny and my stage name is Nicny Hermione. I was born in the summer of 2012 in Bangkok. I attended CurtainCall Performing Arts Studio by Kru Jing. 

In 2022, I am honoured to have received a Gold Prize from Music & Stars Awards 2022, a Grand Prize from International Youth Music Contest (IYMC) 2022, a Gold Prize from the 2022 American Music Talent Competition, a 1st Prize from the International Association of Arts “Muse” International Music Contest 2022, a Special Award from London Young Musician of the Year 2022 for Creative Performance of the Year 2022 and an Annual Award for the Vocalist of the Year 2022 from the London Young Musician of the Year 2022 Annual Contest. In 2021, I am honoured to have received thirteen (13) Gold, Distinction and 1st Prize Awards; and seven (7) Silver and 2nd Prize Awards, and three (3) Bronze Awards from various International Music Competitions both singing and piano.

I love songs that bring out strong character and are empowering. I sing every now and then, and basically everywhere that is allowed. I love to perform on stage. I love to read the background of every song that I sing, and immerse myself into the character. I love both musical and non-musical. Since I am young, I want to explore all types of music genres including Rap, R&B, Jazz and Soul. 

Vocal warm up is very important, especially if we want to achieve high belting technique and avoiding vocal nodules. My vocal coach is Kru Jing, she will observe my vocal strength and range capability and prepare the appropriate warm up notes. Kru Jing is a very dedicated vocal coach especially for young children and is also a famous vocalist herself. 

I also love writing and composing songs, I am a beginner songwriter, I am honoured to have received 4 Star Awards with Commended Entry Position for 4 songs, and 3 Star Awards with Songwriter Position for 7 songs from UK Songwriting Contest 2021.

I love the sea and nature. I love surfing. I support equality and children’s rights. I hope to use music to promote awareness to protect nature and mental health. 

I’m Helena Urbanc and I was born in 2007 in Slovenia. At the age of eight I started taking violin lessons with professor Valentin Štante. In my third year of playing violin, I was also taking violin lessons with additional professor Danica Koren. In 2021 I started studying with professor Zala Rek. I have participated in a lot of competitions, where I received silver and gold awards. My biggest achievements are gold award and second place with 97/100 points at 6^th international competition Golden Diapason in 2021, gold award with special prize for the best performance of Händel’s work at Best Classical Musician Awards 2022 and being a soloist for Bach’s Concerto in a-minor, accompanied by Danica Koren’s Summer School orchestra. From the year 2021 on I will also take masterclasses with Sumina Studer. 

I usually listen to classical, jazz or rock music, although I like most of the music genres. My favourite artists to listen to are Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Eloise and Bruno Major, my favourite composers are Debussy, Saint Saens and Sibelius.

I practice around four or six hours a day. It depends on my mood and how much time do I have. Sometimes I start with technique, sometimes with pieces, because I think that you must be able to play well, even though you didn’t practice technique earlier that day. I like to practice slowly with a drone tone tool and a metronome. My ”must do” in my practice schedule are finger exercises by Henry Schradieck. 

Before the competitions I don’t go to the school because that’s the only way I can practice concentrated and without worries about school. So, before the competitions I practice a lot more than usual, practically all day. I have a lot of individual hours with my teacher and accompanist.

My dream is to be a successful violinist as a soloist or as a part of an orchestra or any kind of chamber group. I want to make people happy while I play because I believe music can heal. 

I was born in Toulouse, France, in 2006. I have been studying for 10 years at the Conservatory of Toulouse with Véronique Grange and Francois Henry and I have obtained my Piano Diploma with the Congratulations of the jury.

This year I have passed  the entrance exam for the National Conservatory of Paris where I will now study. At the same time I continue my studies in high school. 

I work the piano 5 hours a day. I did my first competition at the age of 8 and have won 14 first prizes, 2 second prizes and 1 third prize in national and international competitions.

I am also lucky enough to be invited to play in festivals, both solo, and with orchestra like the Occitania Chamber Orchestra. 

The orchestra was created by Bernard Soustrot an internationally renowned trumpetist. It’s a formation of 12 young instrumentalists  without a conductor since the solo violonist Anne Gallo-Selva provides direction, each musician carefully watching the work of the other and this creates a wonderfull artistic cohesion coupled with a real friendly understanding.

The Occitania Chamber Orchestra collaborates with great international soloists like Richard Galliano or Anaïs Constans, as well as the younger generation as we did in this video.

We are all very happy to have won the Crown of Stars because we hope that video and the internet are ways to bring classical music to an audience that otherwise wouldn’t have access to it!

Li Cheuk Chi, Vienna is now 10 years old and studying Primary 4 at Pui Ching Primary School in Hong Kong. She joined the Yip’s Children Choral and Performing Arts Centre in Hong Kong at the age of 3. With the tutelage of Mr. Kalvin Chau, she attained Merit in her ABRSM Grade 6 Violin examination. She is a violinist in the school orchestra.

Vienna has actively participated in numerous public performances and competitions, and she won multiple prizes and awards at local and
international music festivals including the Champion of Asia Musicians Competition 2018, the First runner-up for St. Cecilia International Music Competition 2018, Second Runner-up for 70th Hong Kong School Festival.

This year, she was awarded the First Prize for Vivaldi International Music Competition from UK, the First Runner-up for 74th Hong Kong School Festival, 2nd Place for International Youth Music Competition.