Poland Young Scholars Concert 2019
Young Talents Shine at the Poland Young Scholars Concert 2019
On August 5, 2019, the Lang Lang International Music Foundation showcased its exceptional Young Scholars at the European Centre for Music in Poland. This event was part of the prestigious Emanacje Music Festival, held at the renowned Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music. The concert featured performances by Kimberly Han, an accomplished alumna of the program, along with current scholars Carey Byron and Shuheng Zhang.
The festival, celebrated for its diverse and high-quality performances, offered the perfect stage for these young artists to demonstrate their skill and artistry.
The European Centre for Music, established by the legendary composer Krzysztof Penderecki, provided an inspiring setting for the concert, blending cultural heritage with a commitment to advancing music education.
The Young Scholars program, a flagship initiative of the LLIMF, identifies and supports exceptional young pianists, providing them with mentorship, masterclasses from top educators, and international performance opportunities. The Poland concert was a prime example of the program’s mission, allowing the scholars to perform in a prestigious venue and connect with global audiences.
The August 2019 concert remains a highlight of the foundation’s efforts to inspire and nurture the next generation of classical musicians. It not only celebrated the immense talent of its participants but also underscored the value of music as a universal language that brings people together.
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Carey Byron, age 13, has been studying the piano since the age of 4.
Since then, she has won top prizes at a number of local, state, and international competitions. In 2015, at the age of ten, she was the first prize winner of the Los Angeles Young Musicians International Competition, and received the second prize in the American Protégé International Competition, which led to her debut in Carnegie Hall. In 2016, she became the alternate winner of the Georgia MTNA competition. In both 2015 and 2016, she was awarded as the “Conference Recitalist” (first prize) in the Georgia Music Teachers Association’s three round auditions. In addition, she won first prize at the Romantic and Impressionistic Piano Competition held by the Atlanta Music Teachers Association. In 2016, she received the first prize in the Franz Liszt International Competition, where she also received a special prize for the “Best Performance of an Opera Paraphrase.” In 2017, she was a prize winner in the San Jose International Piano Competition and Glendale Piano Competition. In the same year, she won first place in the CAPMT Concerto Competition’s South Regional division, as well as the State Finals. She was the alternate winner in the California MTNA competition in 2017.
“When I first found out that I became a Young Scholar, my heart skipped a beat. It felt as if a thousand of Christmas lights were lighting up all over me! By being a Young Scholar, I would get more opportunities to share my feelings, stories, and ideas to a variety of audience through performances offered by the Lang Lang Foundation. The Foundation will offer me more training so I will become a better musician. It will be a thrill to interact with other musicians who share the same passion for music, and perform together! It will be such an honor to perform and participate in classes with Lang Lang, who has always been my inspiration. I am really looking forward to a new musical journey as a Young Scholar!”
At the age of ten, Carey was one of the prodigies selected by the Atlanta Steinway Society and, at the age of eleven, was the youngest performer featured in the Atlanta’s Young Artist series at the Emory Chamber Music Society. She has performed solo as well as chamber music recitals in the Zipper, Thayer, and Warner concert halls, to name a few. Carey had her orchestral debut in Italy with the Brunesis Virtuosi Orchestra under Maestro Uri Segal at the age of 12. She has participated in summer festivals in the Colburn School and Oberlin College, and has also performed in master classes for Dae-Jin Kim, John O’Conor, Steven Spooner, Yoshikazu Nagai, Angela Cheng, Boris Slutsky, and Antonio Pompa-Baldi. In 2017, she performed alongside withthe world-renowned concert pianist, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, in the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Carey is currently a student of Ory Shihor at the Colburn Music Academy. She aspires to become an inspiration to the new generation in classical music.
Carey Byron’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE_coRCaCOVY6SgcHNJFOJA
Carey Byron’s public FaceBook:
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At the age of 3, he began to learn piano from his mother. At the age of 10, he continued to study piano with Matti Raekallio. He was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall twice.
At the age of 9, he was signed by KNS Classical Records in Europe. Debut solo album “True Love” – Sencheng Zhang. He collaborated with the Cross-Strait Arts Youth United Symphony Orchestra on the whole movement of Mozart Concerto KV488/537, which was highly praised. In 2023, he was invited again to participate in the GOCAA International Concert Festival and cooperated with Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra on Mozart’s Coronation Concerto and achieved a complete success. In the 5th World Piano Teachers Association Finland International Piano Competition, Junior Section – Category D, he received Absolute Awards (and won scholarships to participate in master classes and art exchange activities in Weimar, Germany). At the American Protege International Concerto Competition 2023, Sencheng won a First Place (Age Category 12 and under). In 2023, Sencheng was invited to Russia to cooperate with the “ГУБЕРНСКИЙ СИМФОНИЧЕСКИЙ ОРКЕСТР” Symphony Orchestra and perform two sets of Mozart and Poulenc concerto concert. The performance was a complete success.
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Kimberly Han – a pianist and violinist from Chicago, Illinois. She started piano lessons when she was five and a half years old, and has been studying with Brenda Huang for 9 years. She is also taking regular masterclasses with Alexander Korsantia from New England Conservatory.
“To me, classical music is timeless; it has the ability to transcend any age, and express emotions through generations of people. Being selected as a 2016-2018 Young Scholar by the Lang Lang International Music Foundation allows me to explore this belief not only through many performance opportunities, but also through interacting with fellow musicians and young scholars, like myself. In these coming two years, I am definitely looking forward to joining the Lang Lang Young Scholars family, learning from Maestro Lang Lang for sure, and most importantly, just being able to share and give my love for music to others.
Becoming a 2016-2018 Young Scholar is an indescribable feeling. It was amazing, but realizing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has made me really think about the teachers, friends, symphony orchestras, and performances in my life. Everything, and everyone in these years has helped me become who I am today. For that I am extremely grateful. And I’m looking forward to what’s coming next.”
A freshman of Lake Forest High School, Kimberly is a frequent award-winner in many music events – East Central Division / Illinois State Winner of 2016 MTNA Junior Competition, Walgreens National Concerto Competition Winner (2015 20th MYA Senior Division Overall & Piano Category; 2014 19th Open Junior Division Piano and 2013 18th MYA Junior Division Piano), Winner of 2015 Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Youth Audition in March 2015, and Winner of CSO “Carnival of the Animals” Audition in January 2015, Piano Winner of 2014 11th DePaul Concerto Festival, First Place winner of 2013 15th Chopin Youth Piano Competition, along with many more.
As a solo pianist and chamber musician, Kimberly has performed in L’Auditori of Barcelona, Spain, Chicago Symphony Center, Preston Bradley Hall of Chicago Cultural Center, DePaul Concert Hall, Bennett-Gordon Hall of Ravinia Festival, and Pick-Staiger Concert Hall of Northwestern University.
Kimberly had her concert debut with Oistrach Symphony Orchestra performing Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor in February 2014, under Maestro Mini Zikri. In March 2015, Kimberly performed Saint-Saens “Carnival of Animals” as solo pianist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) during guest conductor, Vladimir Kulenovic’s debut conducting the CSO. She has been invited to perform “Nights in the Garden of Spain” as a soloist with the CSO again under Maestro Scott Speck in April 2016. In 2015-2016 season, Kimberly will perform George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra and Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, 1st movement with Midwest Young Artists (MYA) Symphony Orchestra both in February 2016, under Maestro Dr. Allan Dennis. Other concerts include Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor with Lake Forest Civic Orchestra under Maestro Robert Nordling in May 2016, Franz Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major with The New North Shore Chamber Orchestra under Maestro Anatol Lysenka in November 2016, and solo concert with Highland Park Strings under Maestro Larry Block also in the fall of 2016.
Kimberly was featured as a pre-college young pianist on WFMT 98.7FM “Introductions” in January (as soloist) and August (as duo) 2015. She will be featured again in May 2016 as the 2015 CSO Youth Audition winner and a 2016-2018 Lang Lang Young Scholar. She was also selected by Lang Lang International Music Foundation to participate in the second Allianz Junior Music Camp in Barcelona, Spain in November 2014. In September 2015, The North Shore Journal featured Kimberly as a young musician in the “Standout Student” column.
In her free time, Kimberly loves playing violin with the MYA Symphony Orchestra / her chamber ensemble Trio Fiammata / school symphony orchestra, reading and traveling around the world with her family. To give back to the community, Kimberly also performs extensively in the retirement centers across the Chicagoland, and teaches violin to kids from unprivileged districts as a participant in MYA Young Music Scholar program.
Kimberly would like to thank her inspirational teachers Brenda Huang and Alexander Korsantia, for coaching her discipline, dedication and love for classical music; The Lang Lang International Music Foundation, Allianz, Dr. Allan Dennis, Robert Bassill, and the MYA staff for providing her the great opportunity to grow as a young musician; her parents and all of her friends for their continuous support and encouragement.
website: http://kimiehan.wix.com/kimie-han
