AWARDS
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2026
Elaine Gao (Piano Performance)
won the Gold Medal at Seattle Chopin NW Competition, Seattle Simon Fiset Piano Competition and Seattle PAFE (Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside) Competition.
Owen Yu (Violin Performance)
has been selected as the Concertmaster of Lakeside Middle School Orchestra.
Elizabeth Liu (Violin Performance)
won the First Place in Group IV (16-17 years old) at the San Francisco Bay Area US New Star String Competition.
Eny Chen (Piano Performance)
won the Third place in the High School Division of the Washington State Solo & Ensemble Competition.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
received the Top Prize, along with a cash award of $300, at the SWH Foundation Piano Competition.
Eny Chen and Elaine Gao (Piano Performance)
both awarded the Second Place in their respective grade level (2nd Grade and 11th Grade) at the Eastside Scholarship Piano Competition.
Alyssa Ma and Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
both girls won the Gold Prize at Seattle Chopin Festival Competition for their performances of Chopin's Waltz Op. 69, No. 1 and Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu.
2025
Eny Chen (Piano Performance)
won the Third Place in the Senior Category (ages 15–17) at the Scottish International Piano Competition! After three rounds of selection and evaluation by a panel of seven judges, she ultimately won the Third place among the six finalists!
Eny Chen (Piano Performance)
won the First Place in the 14–15 Age Category at New Star International Piano Competition in Palo Alto.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
won the First Place in the Elementary Division at the Music Legacy Open Competition, hosted by the San Francisco Bay Area Music Association.
Esther Mei (Violin Performance)
for achieving a Distinction at the ABRSM Performance Diploma exam.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
has been accepted into the Seattle Chamber Music Society Academy. She will be performing at Benaroya Hall this December.
Suri Yan and Alyssa Ma (Piano Performance)
were invited to perform as piano soloists the RCM Celebration Series, a concert showcasing the highest scoring students from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Elizabeth Liu and Esther Mei (Violin Performance)
won the First Place at the Washington State Solo & Ensemble Competition.
Youran Feng (Piano Performance) Elizabeth Liu (Violin Performance)
won the First Place in their respective categories at US Open Music Competition. Youran in the 12–14 age group (Piano), and Elizabeth in the 16–18 age group (Violin).
Kevin Zhu (Violin Performance)
has been selected as the Concertmaster of the Bellevue Youth Orchestra.
Elsie Lin and Alyssa Ma (Piano Performance)
both won the First Place at the US Piano Composer International Competition in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Owen Yu (Violin Performance)
won the Second Place in the 10–11 Age Group at the Seattle PAFE competition.
Elaine Gao (Piano Performance)
won First Place at the Seattle Classical Viennese Piano Competition.
Irene, Eny, Melaine, Elizabeth, Esther, Stephen and Victoria
received this year’s President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold Level).
Elsie Lin (Piano Performance)
winning the Gold Prize at the Seattle Bach Festival Competition.
Crystal Neacsu (Violin Performance)
won the Third Place at the Singapore International Music Competition (No First Place winner).
2024
Esther Mei (Violin Performance)
was selected to performed the first movement of Lalo's Symphony Espagnole on NPR's From The Top program.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
won the Gold Medal at the 2024 Seattle Pacific Northwest Piano Competition.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
achieved a Distinction at the ABRSM Performance Diploma! She scored a high 47 out of 50!
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
won the First prize at the Royal International Piano Competition in California and Platinum Award at the World Teachers' Association (WPTA) Piano Competition in Singapore.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
was selected to attend Masterclasses at The Juilliard School Last week, she had the privilege of attending masterclasses with four professors from the Juilliard School. Irene is incredibly fortunate to receive guidance from such distinguished piano professors at such a young age!
Elena Nien (Piano Performance)
won the First places at both Seattle PAFE live competition and the 6th WPTA Finland International Piano Competition in Finland.
Jerry Zhang (Violin Performance)
completed the RCM grade 10 with First Class with Honors.
Victoria Cui and Stephen Cui (Violin Performance)
both students won the First place respectively in the 9-11 and 12-14 year old violin categories at the US New Star String Competition in Bay Area.
Lincoln Li (Piano Performance)
achieved outstanding Distinction at the ABRSM Grade 6 score 148 (full score is 150), with full marks on all three pieces!
Elizabeth Liu, Stephen Cui and Victoria Cui
performed as soloist with the Perugia Symphony Orchestra, including Mozart's Piano Concerto k.414, Bruch's Violin Concerto in G Minor and Bach's Violin Concerto in A Minor.
Eny Chen (Piano Performance)
successfully passed the audition at the Seattle Chamber Music Society Academy and will perform Dvořák Trio's "Dumky" at Benaroya Hall this December
Elizabeth Liu (Violin Performance)
won the Bronze Medal in the 16-18 age group at the Singapore International Violin Competition.
Esther Mei and Elizabeth Liu (Violin Performance)
were selected for the All Northwest Orchestra Senior program.
Seven students from our studio Melanie, Eny, Elizabeth, Esther, Victoria, Stephen, Irene
received the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Awards from the nonprofit organization "Melody for Change." These students will also assist with our charity concert next year.
2023
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
won the First place of the International Junior Piano Competition in Geneva and Second place in the International New Star International Music Competition in Palo Alto (First place vacant).
Johnston Lai (Violin Performance)
has been selected as violin soloist to perform Vivaldi's Four Seasons Violin Concerto with the Lake Washington High School Chamber Orchestra's Winter Concert.
Victoria Cui ( Violin Performance)
was awarded the Second Prize of the Singapore International Violin Competition.
Isabella Nien (Piano Performance)
was invited to perform in Carnegie Hall as the First Prize Winner of the New York Piano League International Competition. Isabelle was awarded the Second Prize at Vancouver International Piano Competition.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
was invited to perform in John Knowles Plaine Concert Hall in Harvard University.
Dennis Wu (Piano Performance)
received the Silver Prize in Finland WPTA International Piano Competition.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
was selected to feature in ABRSM Global High Score Concert as she received 143 high scores in her ABRSM Grade 8 exam (full score is 150)
2022
Violinist Victoria Cui, Sahana Arvind and Pianist Stephen Cui
were nominated as the Gold medalists from the 2022 RCM Violin and Piano exam. They were awarded the highest mark among all candidates in Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington). They will be invited to perform at Seattle University on 2023 March 8th.
Jerry Zhang (Violin Performance)
was awarded the First Class Honours at his RCM grade 9 violin exam.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
won the Silver Award at the 2022 Singapore International Music Competition.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
was awarded the Gold Prize at the 2022 Singapore WPTA International Piano Competition. She will be invited to perform in the Gala Concert Awards Ceremony at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music on the 27th Nov 2022.
Irene Gao (Piano Performance)
has been awarded the FIRST PRIZE at Chicago International Music Competition.
Dennis Wu (Piano Performance)
was invited as a soloist to perform Haydn Piano Concerto with Zabrze Philharmonic Orchestra in Poland as Chopin Avenue Concerto Competition winners.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
received the Silver Award of Finland WPTA International Music Competition.
Catherine Xie (Violin Performance)
was appointed as the Concertmaster of Lake Washington School District Honor Orchestra.
Jerry Zhang (Violin Performance)
was appointed as the Associate Concertmaster at Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
received the Second Prize at US New Star Music Competition in California. At the same time she received 142 high scores Distinction for her ABRSM Piano Level 8 exam.
2021
Johnston Lai (Violin Performance)
was appointed as the Concertmaster at Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra Debut for the year of 2021-2022 season.
Melanie Cheang (Piano Performance)
was awarded the First Prize at San Francisco International Innovative Piano Competition.
Violinist Catherine Xie, Pianist Melanie Cheang and Dennis Wu
were invited to perform at Northwest Celebration of Excellence Recital this year which will take place on the 13th Nov! They were selected among candidates that were awarded the Highest RCM Grade Exam Marks in the Northwest region (including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington states).
Elizabeth Liu (Violin Performance) and Jerry Zhang (Violin Performance)
were awarded the First Class Honors at the 2021 RCM Violin Level 8 exam.
Jolyn Lai (Violin Performance)
Received Distinction at the 2021 ABRSM Violin Level 8 Exam.
2020
Johnston Lai (Violin Performance)
Was invited to perform in the gala concerts at Royal Albert Hall in London and Amphithéâtre Philharmonie in Paris later this year in Sep
Three students from Yin Music Studio attended the RCM Grade Exam in Dec 2019 and all of them received excellent results!
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Leevia Wang received First Class with Honors at RCM Piano Exam.
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Catherine Xie and Jessica Xie received First Class Honors with Distinction at RCM Violin Grade exams.
2019
Noni Patchett (Violin performance)