The Stars

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 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.”

Kiyo Nai Yow Jia is a six-year-old Malaysian prodigy who hones her craft at the Cartoon ART music center. Her musical prowess has secured her the first/gold prize in international music competitions across 15 countries, including England, America, France, Italy, China, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Estonia, Bosnia, Austria, Spain, Serbia, and Greece. The competitions she excels in are diverse, ranging from age and grade categories to classical, jazz, modern, and original composition.

Kiyo’s remarkable achievements extend beyond her age, as she has received the highest marks and accolades reserved for competitors much older than her. She has also been invited to perform at winner concerts, including the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York. Her achievements have been featured in Chinese and English news in her home country, earning her recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records.

In addition to her string of international wins, Kiyo also attained the ABRSM piano grade 5 certification at the tender age of five. Her music serves as a tool to promote healing and support charitable causes such as UNICEF and other events.

Kiyo’s exceptional talent has also earned her numerous scholarships from prestigious institutions around the world. Her music is not merely a means of performance but also an avenue for altruistic endeavors.

“My name is Olivia Sun and I was born in Oakville in 2016 which is a small town near Toronto, Canada. I began my journey in music at the age of four when I followed my big sister’s path to learn piano.

When I was almost five, I showed a lot of interest in violin and started to learn violin with Ms. Svetlana Filippova. During the past 15 months,  Ms. Svetlana not only teaches me violin techniques, but also how to express my thoughts and emotions through the strings.

After school, I normally practice for one hour a day on weekdays and two hours a day on weekends. I have also started to learn singing and dancing recently. I think their rhythms and movements help me understand music from a more dynamic area and help me add some unique colors to playing the violin.

I have competed at local music festivals and competitions and won first prizes. This is the first time I played in an international competition and being awarded the prize is great progress for me.

I will continue to passionately explore the music world and discover more beauty and joy. “

“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.”

“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.”

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.