The Stars

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.

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.