2025 Finalists

Daniel Bae

Daniel Bae is a tenth-grade student at The Montgomery Academy in Alabama. An exceptionally accomplished young pianist, composer, and scholar, he began studying piano under his mother, Aeri Bae, at the age of eight and continued his training with Haein Kim for several years, during which he built a strong musical foundation and expressive capability.

He is currently studying under Dr. Ronald Shinn, whose mentorship continues to deepen Daniel’s musical insight, artistry, and interpretive depth. 

Two-time first place winner of MTNA Alabama Piano Competition and a national finalist in the 2023–2024 MTNA Composition Competition, Daniel has performed twice at Carnegie Hall, most recently as a winner of American Protégé Competition and Gulf Coast Steinway Society Competition. He also won first place in the Lois Pickard Concerto Competition 2024 and the Sejong Music Competition 2024. In 2025, he was named a finalist in both the Nashville International Piano Competition and the MostArts Piano Competition, further solidifying his national standing as a young artist. 

In addition to his talent at the piano, Daniel is an accomplished violinist, and he volunteers as a pianist and violinist at his church. Passionate about music composition, he enjoys exploring various musical genres and deeply admires the Russian composers. Beyond his musical achievements, Daniel excels academically, particularly in mathematics and physics. 

Evelina Kleczek 

Evelina Kleczek, a sixteen-year-old homeschooler from Vienna, Virginia, began playing piano at the age of five. She currently studies with Dr. Martin Labazevitch and has been part of the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program for the 2024-2025 school year. 

Evelina has performed in such venues as DiMenna Center for Classical Music’s Cary Hall in New York City; Millennium Stage at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Kosciuszko Foundation in Washington, DC; Chopin Center in Szafarnia, Poland; and Gusman Hall at Frost School of Music in Florida. Evelina has also participated in lessons and masterclasses with such acclaimed pianists and pedagogues as Kirill Gerstein, Garrick Ohlsson, Ewa Pobłocka, Kevin Kenner, Michael Lewin, Golda Vainberg-Tatz, Krzysztof Jabłoński, and JeYrey Swann. 

Evelina’s awards include third prize and audience award at 2024 Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition, prizes in the Contemporary and Prelude and Fugue categories at Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition in 2022, and first prize and Szymanowski award at the 2020 Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Washington, DC. She is also part of a chamber music ensemble, which won second prize at 2025 Misbin Family Memorial Chamber Music Competition. In addition to her competition awards, Evelina is a recipient of Chopin Foundation Scholarships for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. 

Brian Lin

Brian Lin is a senior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, California. He began his musical journey at age six, discovering a deep passion and curiosity for piano. Currently, he studies under Professor Hans Boepple.

Brian is top prize winner of several international competitions, such as Chicago and Weatherford. In 2024 and this year, he was selected as a National YoungArts winner for Classical Music/Piano, won Celia Mendez Young Pianists Beethoven Competition, was honored as state winner of 2023 MTAC, and was awarded his third fellowship from National US Chopin Foundation (2022-2025). In the near future, he will perform solo recitals in his current five-year tenure with prestigious Young Artist Guild of Music Teachers’ Association of California (2024-2029). 

Brian has sought inspiration and improvement through masterclasses with distinguished artists. He performed a joint solo fundraising concert with Armen Babakhanian to benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Brian loves sharing music with his family and community, regularly performing at facilities for children with special needs and at Fremont Hills Assisted Living Community. Additionally, he has performed at Con Speranza’s charity concert, raising funds for St. Jude Research Hospital. 

Besides playing the piano, Brian enjoys watching basketball and is two-time gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipient. He is also an enthusiast of the culinary arts. 

Alexander Liu

Alexander Liu, thirteen, studies piano at Juilliard Pre-College under Professor Orli Shaham. He is a 2024-2026 Young Scholar of Lang Lang International Music Foundation.

Alexander has earned top prizes in national and international competitions, including gold medal at the 30th Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, first prize at 2023 Philadelphia International Piano Competition, XIII Chopin International Piano Competition, and grand prize at National Young Virtuosi Recital Competition. He was also named 2023 MTNA New York State Winner. 

He has performed with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, Sound Symphony Orchestra, Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra, and Midwest Young Artists Orchestra. His performances have taken him to distinguished venues: Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall, where he has participated in more than ten winner's recitals, as well as New York Town Hall and National Arts Club. 

Awarded full scholarships to prestigious programs such as Morningside Music Bridge (2024), Aspen Music Festival (2025), Musikfestspiele Saar in Germany (2025), and Young Scholars Summer Academy at Cambridge University in England (2025), Alexander is a three-time recipient of Takako Saegusa Scholarship. Alexander enjoys sharing music with others and has served as a youth mentor since 2019. He was recognized with the President's Volunteer Service Award (gold level) in 2023 and 2024. 

Victoria Ramos

Victoria Marie Ramos, a seventh-grade homeschooler, is a student of Dr. Peter Mack and Marissa Rebadulla-Ramos. Victoria has performed at prestigious venues including a debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of six, Parco della Musica in Rome, Musikverein in Vienna, and Royal Albert Hall in London. 

Victoria’s accolades include numerous gold medals from Northwest Chopin Competition, Brisbane International Music Festival, Cap Ferret International Music Festival Open Masters in France, Northern Lights Piano Festival in Sweden, Seattle International Viennese Festival, Russian Chamber Music Foundation of Seattle Competition, and a distinguished gold medal at Seattle International Bach Festival. Victoria is a silver medalist in Northwest Steinway Junior Competition, Pacific International Competition, Seattle International Virtuoso Festival, and International French Music Piano Competition. She is a third prize winner in the WPTA (World Piano Teachers Association) Competition in Spain and the New Orleans Piano Competition.

At the age of ten, Victoria took third prize in the Steinway/Avanti Future Stars Piano Competition in the Junior Division. She made her orchestral debut at age eleven, performing Chopin Concerto in E minor in Orchestra Recital Series of Tacoma. In 2024, she was chosen to perform it in Piano Concerto Festival in Portugal with Algarve Orchestra.

As a first prize winner of 2022 Central Washington University PianoFest, Victoria had the privilege of performing in a master class for Michelle Cann (Curtis Institute of Music). She had the opportunity to perform for renowned Beethoven specialist Stewart Goodyear in a masterclass sponsored by Seattle Chamber Music Society. In 2023, she won first prize in Seattle Music Teachers Association Simon Fiset Piano Competition and was invited to perform in Washington State Music Teachers Association Convention Honors Recital.

Victoria is honored to perform the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor with the Most Arts Festival Orchestra in the 2025 Young Pianist Competition. Its themes of struggle, darkness, and a yearning for emotional resolution inspire her to explore her artistry and creativity.  

Aside from piano, Victoria enjoys attending University of Washington Husky Math Academy, choir, swimming, biking, drawing, and most of all, playing with her eight-year-old sister, Cassandra, also an accomplished pianist.  

Caroline Su

Caroline Su, sixteen, is in 10^th grade at McLean High School in McLean, VA.  She started piano at 6 and studies with Dr Martin Labazevitch. She formerly studied with Lisa Emenheiser Sarratt.

Caroline won many events such as first place at 2023-2024, 2022-2023 MTNA VA state competitions, first at 2022 William Knabe International Competition, first at 2025 Lichtenberg Competition, first at 2025, 2023, 2021 and 2019 NVMTA Achievement Awards.  She received numerous NVMTA, WMTA and VMTA awards including the Robert Spencer Concerto Competitions. Caroline performed at Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Millenium Stage, the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, DC, Indiana University Auer Hall, and 2024 PYPA Soirée Series. Caroline attended 2022 Indiana University Piano Academy, 2023 Philadelphia Young Pianist Academy, and 2024 Southeastern Piano Festival at University of South Carolina. She participated in masterclasses with Ching-Yun Hu, Alon Goldstein, Douglas Humpherys, Michael Lewin, Jerome Lowenthal, and Emile Naoumoff.

Caroline gives back to her community by performing and leading regularly as a chief-intern of the Tacy Foundation. She enjoys mock trial and writing and editing for her school magazine.

Sophia Suwiryo 

At sixteen, Sophia Suwiryo is an internationally recognized pianist, composer, and KNS Classical artist studying under Professor Alvin Chow. A Lang Lang Young Scholar and Chopin Foundation Scholar, she has performed with prestigious orchestras, including Cincinnati Pops under Maestro John Morris Russell, and debuted globally at XXV International Chopin Festival in Poland. She has since graced renowned stages such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Spain’s Concert de Gala “Tribute to Rubinstein,” and WQED Pittsburgh, presented by The Frederick R. Koch Foundation. 

Sophia’s artistry has earned numerous accolades, including 2024 Elizabeth Paepcke Memorial Piano Scholarship at Aspen Music Festival. A prizewinner in international competitions, she is also an accomplished composer, recognized with the Gold Medal at 2021 Quebec International Music Competition and first-place awards in 2023 MTNA Senior Composition Competition and National Federation Music Club Junior Composers Competition. Her original works have been featured on Fox19 Now TV News, showcasing her creativity beyond the concert stage. 

With expressive depth and technical brilliance, Sophia continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Beyond music, she enjoys composing, cooking, and playing chess, bringing the same artistry and strategy to all her pursuits.

Nathan Zhao

Nathan Zhao is eighteen years old and a twelfth grader at Edmonds Woodway High School in Edmonds, Washington. He started taking piano lessons at the age of four and has been mentored by Dr. Peter Mack since September 2021.

Nathan first performed publicly at age six at Benaroya Hall: winners’ concert of Russian Chamber Music Festival/Competition in 2012. He was invited to perform live at King FM 98.1 in February 2013. He gave two solo piano recitals at Steinway Piano Galleries of Seattle in September 2014 and June 2015. Since 2016, Nathan has been playing chamber music pieces and concerti with professionals, including Mozart Concerto No. 21 in C major with Cascade Symphony, Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 with Bellevue Symphony, and Mozart Concerto No. 20 with Spokane Symphony. Nathan took second place at 2024 MTNA National Senior Piano Performance competition and first place at 2024 WSMTA Outstanding Artist Piano Competition.

Besides playing piano, Nathan is also an accomplished composer, ranging from piano solos to symphonies. Nathan was selected for 2019 Seattle Symphony Young Composers Workshop and 2024 Seattle Music Teachers Association Commissioned Sonatina Award.