The Stars

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.

The school choir was established in Hong Kong in 2000, with music-loving teachers leading groups of students in singing and performing. Weekly group practices and individual training for talented students are provided.

During the Covid pandemic, the choir switched to online training. Despite the inability to sing together in person, the passion for music and performance remained strong.

Participating in the Music & Stars Awards marked the choir’s return to face-to-face performances after the pandemic. The choir members are thrilled to have the opportunity to perform once again and aspire to continue shining in the field of music.

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.

Alexander TS Lam is a 3-year-old boy from Hong Kong who loves music. He began learning the violin with his mother a year ago and started participating in competitions and performances five months ago. He has won over 30 prizes since then.

His favorite piece is the Vivaldi Violin Concerto in A minor, which he has been listening to since he was a few months old. Alexander also enjoys works by Mozart.

He practices for around 2-3 hours a day, starting with warm-up games for both hands. He enjoys practicing scales, particularly the D major two-octave scale. He finds the G major 3-octave scale challenging but interesting and enjoys shifting exercises and playing in higher positions.

Alexander prepares for competitions as fun games, such as playing with his eyes covered. Before the competition, he tries performing the pieces without warming up in different locations like the park, the sea, or nature.

His parents are his best teachers, teaching him not only how to play music but also how to be persistent and determined. They encourage him to overcome challenges and be patient.

His dream is to be happy every day, and he wishes for all his dreams to come true in the future. He supports the World Food Program, a humanitarian project that sustains food assistance to children in third-world countries. Alexander hopes to donate a portion of his proceeds to help those less fortunate around the world.

Aiwarin Boonrord was born in 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. She enjoys singing and dancing because it makes her happy and relaxed. She started singing at the age of 5 and dancing at the age of 6. Aiwarin takes vocal lessons at Cantabile Music, with Miss Onwara Chaisomkun as her teacher.

Her favorite song is Pop Style. Before competitions, Aiwarin practices regularly and always does warm-up exercises before singing. She has entered many singing competitions, and her dream for the future is to study music and become a famous singer. Aiwarin hopes to bring happiness to others through her music. She thanks Music and Stars Awards for providing her with the opportunity to reach and share her dreams.

Yuri Song was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and discovered her love for singing at the age of six. She expressed her interest to her mother and began taking vocal lessons with Onwara Chaisomkun. After four years of training, Yuri has competed in several competitions and received numerous awards, including a gold medal in her latest competition. Notably, she has also earned the First Prize Award at the International Music Competition London Grand Prize. Virtuoso, as well as the Gold Prize from London Young Musician Season 3 and the Silver Prize from the Global Genius Music Competition Summer Season 2022, among others.

To practice, Yuri sings for fun at home, and does warm-up exercises before practicing the songs. In preparation for competitions, she learns different techniques from her vocal teacher. Her dream is to become a renowned singer and excel in her musical career. Yuri is determined to continue working hard towards her goal.

Minsu Song, a talented singer born in Bangkok, Thailand, has been honing her singing skills for the past three years under the tutelage of her teacher, Onwara Chaisomkun. Minsu started with a husky voice, but with regular practice and training, she gradually developed a clearer and more refined voice.

Recently, Minsu participated in the First Bangkok International Performing Arts Vocal Competition 2022 and was thrilled to receive a platinum prize for her performance. In a previous competition, she also received a gold prize for singing the song ‘Alone in the Universe’.

Minsu believes that warm-up exercises are essential in preparing for singing performances, as they help her to get familiarized with singing songs again. She always makes sure to do them before practicing her singing skills.

To prepare for competitions, Minsu works closely with her teacher, who provides her with guidance and corrections to improve her singing skills. She is constantly learning new techniques and strives to improve her vocal skills further.

Minsu’s passion for singing and her determination to improve her skills will undoubtedly take her far in her music career, and she looks forward to continuing her journey towards even greater heights of excellence.

Cheng Ho Hin, born in Hong Kong at the age of 12, has been studying piano under the tutelage of concert pianist and conductor Mr. Andy Tung Yee Tsun since he was eleven years old. His interest lies in classical and romantic music, and his performances exude an artistic temperament. Hin aspires to fuse his musical imagination with elegant and gentle gestures during his live performances, which captivates and intoxicates the audience.

This year, Cheng became an accompanist of his school orchestra, performing on various stages for festivals and celebrations.

Cheng’s musical talent has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the 2nd Prize in the UK International Music Competition 2022 – Baroque (UK), Silver Prize in the 2022 European Music Competition (UK), Bronze Prize in the European Classical Music Pianist Award 2022 (UK), 3rd Prize in the UK International Music Competition 2022 (UK), Special Mention in the International BTHVN Wien Music Competition 2022 (Austria), Honour Mention in Music & Stars Awards 2022 (Germany), and Honour Prize in the Amadeus International Music Awards 2022 (Austria).

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.