The Stars

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.

Hailey Chan, a young pianist from Richmond, BC, Canada, has been making waves in the music world since she began studying piano with Ms. Michelle Hsieh at the age of 7. Ms. Hsieh has been a great inspiration to Hailey and has motivated her to constantly challenge herself. As a result, Hailey has won various competitions and will soon be performing at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Hailey has a dream of becoming a professional musician when she grows up. Her ultimate goal is to travel around the world for performances and share her experiences through social media. However, Hailey is not just a talented musician; she is also passionate about environmental issues. She has chosen to focus on humanitarian projects that address the problem of plastic pollution.

According to Hailey, most plastic products ultimately end up as waste, polluting our environment. She hopes to use music to bring awareness to this issue and promote finding sustainable waste management solutions. Hailey is a young musician with a big heart and a passion for making a positive impact on the world.

“My name is Aidan Lu and I am 10 years old. I was born in Canada. I started playing the piano at the age of 5 and currently a student of Dan Morin. I have performed at local recitals since young age. Over the past years, I have participated in several national and international competitions, and I was honoured to be awarded First Place and Second Place. 

I love music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras and my favourite composers are Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin. Recently, I love listening to Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor. 

I practice piano for 1 to 2 hours a day. Since the age of 8, I started to learn one concerto every year. I love playing a piano concerto with the accompanist.

Playing concerto gives me an opportunity to work with different accompanists and learn from them. 

Besides piano, I love drawing, reading, snowboarding, and playing basketball with my brother. My dream is to be a pianist when I grow up. “

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.

“My Name is Lucia Boeck, I am from Austria and I study classical saxophone concert stu dies and pedagogical studies in master program under the direction of Christian Maurer  at University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. I have a YouTube channel  Just4Sax that combines different genres of saxophone music (classical music, contem porary music, jazz and crossover) with animated and self-filmed videos that I love to edit.  I also compose music for saxophone and I am self-trained in Video editing.

I love classical music, contemporary music, Austrian folk music, jazz, and pop music.

I study under the direction of Christian Maurer. My saxophone professor plays classical and jazz music and he is a role model in different styles he taught us to play different genres on the saxophone.

I would like to make music with my saxophone in combination with editing music videos for bands, TV, orchestra projects, and so on.

If I had to choose a humanitarian project to sustain, I would choose a project to help poor animals.”

Meet Sara Nishino, a talented young violinist from Tokyo, Japan. Born in 2011, Sara started playing the violin at the age of 5 after falling in love with a fractional-sized violin she found in a music store. Since then, she has made remarkable progress in her career.

At the age of 6, Sara participated in her first competition and has since won numerous awards, including first prize at the “All Japan Junior Classical Music Competition” and recognition from the “Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education”. In 2022, she won second prize at the “International Junior Competition” and participated in the “Student Music Concours of Japan.” She also performed as a child performer in the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra’s “Subscription Concert for Children” in December 2022.

Sara’s love for music is largely due to the support and encouragement of her teachers. Ms. Megumi Morishima taught her the basics and instilled in her the joy of playing music. Currently, Sara is taking lessons from Ms. Mayuko Kamio, a world-renowned violinist and a professor at Tokyo College of Music. Ms. Kamio’s passionate and exciting lessons always inspire Sara to learn something new.

Even with her busy schedule as a student, Sara always finds time to practice the violin at home. She loves singing and playing other instruments too, but her goal is to continue to love and enjoy music while improving her skills as a violinist. She hopes to be able to perform various songs in the future and make a name for herself in the music industry.

Wakana, a native of Japan, began playing the French horn at the age of 13. Her passion for orchestral music and the thrill of performing solos have been her driving forces. She was awarded the gold prize at the Music & Stars Awards in December 2022 and received an honorable mention at the 15th K amateur music competition in Japan.

As a French horn player, Wakana is drawn to pieces that prominently feature the instrument. Her ultimate goal is to play the 3rd movement of Mahler Symphony No. 5 as a principal horn. While juggling her studies as a business student, she dedicates a minimum of four hours per week to practicing. She places equal emphasis on solo pieces and honing her fundamental skills, recognizing the French horn as one of the most challenging instruments to play worldwide (as per Guinness World Record).

Wakana’s musical education is enriched by her mentor, Tom Findlay, a student of the Royal College of Music, whose expressive style she admires greatly. Although she had initially aspired to become a professional horn player, family circumstances led her to abandon that dream. Nonetheless, her unrelenting passion for music motivates her to seek involvement in the field indefinitely.

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.”