2023-2024 COMPETITION WINNERS

For our winners’ bios, click here.

First place, piano, patron of the arts award

Katelyn Deng, age 15

Teacher: Kai Chi Zhu

First place, strings, patron of the arts award

Huisun Hong, cello, age 17

Teacher: Eric Sung

Second place, piano

Irene Hwang, age 16

Teacher: Sandra Wright Shen

second place, strings

Aiden Kim, cello, age 15

Teacher: Jonathan Koh

third place, piano

Sora Corro, age 13

Teacher: Yuko Yoshida

Third place, strings

Kayla Lee, violin, age 16

Teacher: Zhao Wei

Honorable mentions

Peter Parra, piano, age 13

Teacher: Erna Gulabyan

Oliver Corro, piano, age 16

Teachers:  John McCarthy and Jed Galant

Bryan Im, viola, age 16

Teacher:  Adam Smyla

2022-2023 COMPETITION WINNERS

First Place, Patricia Kirkbride Award

Fiona Huang, cello, age 15

Teacher: Jonathan Koh

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

First Place, Piano, Leon Winters Award ($1,200)

Ziyue Zeng, age 16

Teacher: Dr. Chia-Lin Yang

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Second Place, Strings, Patron of the Arts award ($1,000)

Sarah Son, violin, age 16

Teacher: Elbert Tsai

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Second Place, piano, patron of the arts award ($1,000)

Lin Jiang, age 14

Teacher: Kaichi Zhu

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Third Place, strings ($800)

Daniel Yim, cello, age 16

Teacher: Kyeong Hwa Kim

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Third place, piano, ($800)

Vivian Kao, age 15

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Honorable Mentions, strings ($300)

Jennifer Kang, viola, age 13

Teacher: Dimitri Murrath

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Ariel Pawlik-Zwiebel, violin, age 15

Teacher: Elbert Tsai

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

honorable mentions, piano ($300)

Isaac Choi, age 13

Teacher: Dr. Chia-Lin Yang

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Oliver Corro, age 15

Teacher: Yuko Yoshida

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

Sora Corro, age 13

Teacher: Yuko Yoshida

For the award-winning performance and student bio, please click here.

2021-2022 COMPETITION WINNERS

This has been a second challenging season. With the the ups and downs of the pandemic continuing, BMC began its competition season virtually but was able in the last few months to return to in-person meetings. We are so grateful to our student musicians, their teachers and families and our wonderful judges for their support and patience.

Our competitors this year were undeterred and performed with excellence. We are happy to announce the winners of this year’s BMC Competition in Strings.

First Place, Patricia Kirkbride Award ($1,000)

Hiro Yoshimura, violin, age 16

Teachers: Chen Zhao and Tomomi Matsumoto

For the award-winning performance and student bio please click here.

Second Place, Leon Winters Award ($800)

Katherine Lee, cello, age 17

Teacher: Jonathan Koh

For the award-winning performance and student bio please click here.

Third Place, Patron of the Arts Award ($600)

Yuli, Choi, violin, age 15

Teacher: Elbert Tsai

For the award-winning performance student bio please click here

 

Honorable Mention ($100)

Sarah Son, violin, age 14

Teacher: Elbert Tsai

For student bio please click here.

Honorable Mention ($100)

Daniel Yim, cello, age 15

Teacher: Kyeong Hwa Kim

For student bio please click here.

 

2020-2021 Winners

FIRST PLACE

$1,000 per Recipient

Patricia Kirkbride Award, Piano

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Nancy Zheng, Piano

Teacher: Kai Chi Zhu

Variations, Op. 41 (Nikolai Kapustin )

Sonata No.26 in E-flat Major, "Les Adieux", Op. 81a, Mvt I. Das Lebewohl (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Prelude and Fugue, No. 17 in A-Flat Major, WTC Book 1, BWV 862 (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Nancy's BIO

Second Place

$800 per Recipient

Leon Winters Awards, Strings

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Suzuka Wada, Violin

Teacher: Chen Zhao; Accompanists: Dmitriy Cogan & Maori Wada

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 35, Mvt I. Allegro Moderato (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 4 in D Major, k. 218, Mvt I. Allegro (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Sonata for Violin No.3 in C Major, BWV 1005, Mvt III. Largo (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Suzuka's BIO

 
 

Third Place

$600 per Recipient

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Joshua Schiller, Piano

Teacher: Erna Gulaybyan; Accompanist: Dmitriy Cogan

Sonata op. 53 no. 21, Movement: I. Allegro con Brio (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Mephisto Waltz no. 1 (Franz Liszt)

Piano Concerto op. 26 no. 3, Mvt I. Andante (Sergei Prokofiev)


Joshua's BIO

 
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Lucas Chen, Cello

Teacher: Jonathan Koh; Accompanist: Kim Lee

Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009, Mvt IV. Sarabande (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191, Mvt III. Finale (Antonin Dvorak)

Cello Concerto No. 1 in E flat Major, Op. 107, Mvt I. Allegretto (Dmitri Shostakovich)

Lucas' BIO

 
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Emily Hwang, Viola

Teacher: Dimitri Murrath, Accompanist: Miles Graber

Bach Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, Mvt IV. Sarabande (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Brahms Viola Sonata Op. 120 No. 1 in f minor, Mvt I. Allegro Appassionato (Johannes Brahms)

Walton Viola Concerto, Mvt I. Andante Comodo (William Walton)


Emily's BIO

 
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Aaron Hsia, Violin

Teacher: Zhao Wei; Accompanist: Chen Woo

Sonata for Violin Solo No.2 in A minor, BWV 1003, Mvt Andante (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major, Op.19, Movement: Andantino (Sergei Prokofiev)

Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor, Op.28 (Camille Saint-Saëns)

Aaron's BIO

 
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Erica Liu, Violin

Teacher: Zhao Wei

Symphonie Espagnole in D minor, Op. 21, Mvt 1. Allegro non Troppo (Édouard Lalo)

Partita for Violin No. 3 in E Major, Mvt 1. Preludio (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Histoire du Tango, Mvt II. Café 1930 (Astor Piazzolla)


Erica's BIO

 

Roz Koo Memorial Award

$300 per Recipient

The Roz Koo Memorial Award is a special award given this year to honor Rosalyn Koo, former BMC President and Supporter who was instrumental in reviving the Club; Roz passed away in January 2021. This award is meant to encourage these select students to continue their muscial development and to recognize their great promise.

 
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Evelyn Dimov

Teacher: Dr. William Wellborn

Ballade Op.38, No.2 (Frederic Chopin)

Sonata No.3 (Sergei Prokofiev)

Sonata Op.31, No.1, Rondo Allegretto (Ludwig v. Beethoven)


Evelyn's BIO

 
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Benjamin Kim, Violin

Teacher: Jory Fankuchen; Accompanist: Hyun Joo Chung

Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64, Mvt III. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace (Felix Mendelssohn)

Tambourin Chinois, Allegro Molto, Quasi Presto (Fritz Kreisler)

Violin Sonata no.1 in G minor, Adagio (Johann Sebastian Bach)


Benjamin's BIO

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Anna Lee, Cello

Teacher: Amos Yang; Accompanists: Miles Graber & Kim Lee

Cello Sonata No.6 in A Major, Mvt I. Adagio, II. Allegro (Luigi Boccherini)

Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV1012, Mvt I. Prelude (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Cello Sonata No.4, Op.102, No.1, Mvt I. Andante - Allegro Vivace (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Anna's BIO

 
 

2019-2020 COMPETITION WINNERS

Congratulations to our winners!

This has been an extraordinary and challenging season. Our many thanks to everyone - students and their families, teachers, judges, members, supporters - who helped us convert our in-person competition to an online/virtual one within a couple of weeks. Together, not even a pandemic was going to get in the way of accomplishing our mission and supporting our students.

 

First Prize - $1,000

Leon Winters Award

Alexander Canicosa-Miles, Cello

Teacher: Jonathan Koh

Born in Hawaii, Alexander, 16, began playing the cello at age nine. In 2016, he won the Madeline Schatz-Harris Concerto Competition, performing as a solist with the Kamuela-Philharmonic Orchestra. More …

Patricia Kirkbride Award

Joel Kim, Cello

Teacher: Jonathan Koh

Joel Kim, 14, is the recipient of numerous awards including Allen Family String Scholarship in Redwood Music Program and second prize in the ENKOR International Music Competition. More …

 
 

Cello concerto in E minor (1st and 2nd movement ); Edward Elgar

 

Variations on One String on a Theme by Rossini; Niccolo Paganini

Second Prize - $800

Elliott Kim, Cello

Patron of the Arts Award

Teacher: Kyeong Hwa Kim

Elliott Kim, 14, started playing cello at age 7. He is currently a member of the California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and has won numerous awards including 1st place Young Artist Award in the United States International Music Competition. More …

 

Cello Sonata No.4 in C major, Op. 102; Ludwig Beethoven

 

Third Prize - $600

Melody Choi, Violin

Teacher: Davis Law

Melody Choi, 16, was Concertmaster for the National Youth Orchestra 2 in 2019 and is currently the Assistant Concertmaster, California Youth Symphony. Her awards include 1st Place in the Valley Christian Conservatory Honors Scholarship Competition and winner of the KAMSA Young Artists Competition. More …

 

Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24; Ludwig Beethoven

 

Honorable Mention - $400

Benjamin Jiang, Cello

Teacher: Jonathan Koh

Benjamin Jiang, 12, began studying cello at the age of 7. His recent accomplishments include winning the String Teachers Association’s Solo Competition (Sacramento). More …

 

Suite III, BWV1009. 1.Prelude; J.S. Bach

 
 

Winners - 2018-2019 Competition

 

BMC wants to thank all of our student competitors this year for a very impressive performance and competition season. We are pleased to announce this year’s winners in each of 2 categories - Piano and Strings. Congratulations!

First Prize Winners - $1,000

Leo Jerkovic, Piano

Leon Winters Award: First Prize

Leo has performed twice at the Junior Bach Festival and has won numerous other awards, including first place at the San Francisco Chopin Festival and the New West Symphony Quick Bowman Piano Competition. Leo also studies voice and has won awards including the National Association of Teachers of Singing - Bay Area Singing Festival for Classical Voice. He has performed theatrical roles including Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and Pugsly Addams in The Addams Family.

Leo’s teacher is Dr. William Wellborn

 

Sabrina Kim, Violin

Patricia Kirkbride Award: First Prize

Sabrina has appeared as a soloist with the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, performed in the Junior Bach Festival. She has won numerous awards including first place in the Korea Times Music Competition, U.S. Open Music Competition, the U.S. International Music Competition and the American Protege International Competition (performing at Carnegie Hall). She has performed in masterclasses for Gerardo Ribeiro, Klaudia Szlachta and Bayla Keyes. She is a menmber of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. Sabrina also enjoys creative writing and producing her school’s yearbook.

Sabrina’s teacher is Davis Law.

 

Second Prize Winners - $800

Matthew Sakiyama

Patron of the Arts - 2nd Prize

Matthew has won numerous prizes including first place in the Pacific Musical Society, the U.S. Open and the U.S. International competitions. He is a member of the Stellata String Quartet, a group within Susan Bates’ Young Chamber Musicians.

Matthew’s teacher is Elbert Tsai

Ryan Chi

Patron of the Arts - 2nd Prize

Ryan has won numerous competitons including the Golden Era of Romantic Music Competition and the Virtuoso Internation Competition. He has performed at the Junior Bach Festival on piano, violin, cello and organ.

Ryan’s teacher is Erna Gulabyan.

 

3rd Prize ($600 each) in Memory of Diane Kazar

Conor Padmanabhan has won numerous awards including the Great Composer’s Competition, the Enkor International Music Competition and the Sierra Nevada Guitar Competition.

Conor’s teacher is Scott Cmiel

 

Kai Xu is not only a pianist but also a composer. He was a finalist in the National Association for Music Education Electronic Music Composition Competition.

Kai’s teacher is Dr. Willliam Wellborn

 

2019 Winners Final Performance

All of our winning students gave a wonderful performance at the last member meeting in May. Our winners were joined by Kai and Leo’s teacher, Dr. William Wellborn. Congratulations to all our talented students and teachers!

And a wonderful Time was Had by All!

Another highly successful competiton season comes to a close. Many thanks to our Awards Committee Co-chairs, Barbara Braun (left) and Steve Cady, our members and the ever supportive parents and families of our students.

 

Winners - 2017-2018 Competiton

For more information on the final performance by the winners please click here. 

Our special thanks to this year's judges: Barbara Breeden, Sharon Davis and Ruby Pleasure.

 
 

Lauren Chambers, Flute

Patricia Kirkbride Award                                          First Prize - $1,000

Lauren has participated in the El Camino Youth Symphony for 2 years and the California Youth Symphony for one year.

Previous competitions have included

  • First Place in the Palo Alto VOCE competition for senior winds

  • First Place in the same competition for Senior Ensembles for 3 years.

  • Second Place in 2016 in the State VOCE competition for senior ensembles

  • Third Place in 2015 in the State VOCE competition for senior ensembles

Lauren's teacher is Tomiko Tsai.

 

Stephanie Chee, Voice

President's Award in honor of Ruby Pleasure      First Prize - $1,000

Stephanie has been studying music for 5 years. She studied for 2 summers at the Tanglewood Institute in Boston and at the Metropolitan Opera Guild in New York in 2017.

She has won several awards including:

  • First place in the American Protégé Vocal competition in 2015

  • Second place in 2017 in the National Teachers of Music competition for the Bay area this year

  • Third place in 2017 in the Schmidt Youth Vocal competition

She has performed many opera scenes as well as performing in Into the Woods and Guys and Dolls.

Stephanie's teacher is Amy Heumann.

 

 

Emily Finke, voice

Adele Adler Award Second Prize - $800

Emily has had long experience with choral groups performing in 2 Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley groups: Aria and Vocalise. In July 2017 Emily performed at the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona, Spain. Emily won 1st prize in the Great Composers Competition, Music of the 20th Century. She has performed in the Menlo School productions of Avenue Q and Fiddler on the Roof.

Emily's teacher is Annelle Delfs.

Annie Ping, flute

Leon Winters Award Second Prize $800

In the summer of 2017 Annie earned 3rd place in the United States International Music Competition at Stanford, which is sponsored by the Chinese Music Teachers Association of Northern California

She has also won Command Performance awards for California Music Teacher’s Association and the Association of Christian Schools competitions.

Annie's teacher is Troy Gunter.