Pianist/teacher Aejin Chang with State Winner Ji-Heon Kim of Los Alamos. Courtesy photo
MUSIC News:
Pianist Jin-Heon Kim of Los Alamos was recently awarded First Prize in Level Four (for ages 14 and 15) of the annual State Honors Piano Competition for the Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico (PMTNM).
Kim’s winning performance was of the third Concert Étude in D flat, S. 144 by Franz Liszt.
Known as Un sospiro (Italian for “a sigh”), this technically demanding—yet beautifully lyrical work—was a particular favorite of the virtuosic composer, who continued to perform the work until the end of his life.
Kim’s teacher is pianist/teacher Aejin Chang in Los Alamos, with whom he has studied over the past five years.
Although highly gifted and committed to the piano, 15-year-old Kim enjoys several other activities as a sophomore at Los Alamos High School, such as his Spanish Class and being part of the swim team. He also plays the violin and is first violinist in both the high school orchestra as well as the State Honors Orchestra.
His parents are Seok-hoon Kim and Hyunjoo Kim.
The in-person Honors Competition was held Nov. 14 at the Albuquerque Youth Orchestra premises. Two distinguished pianists, Dr. William Lipke and Dr. Wei Chen Bruce Lin, served as judges for all five levels of the competition.
Dr. Lipke has been Professor of Piano at Adams State University for 20 years as well as performing solo recitals throughout the U.S. and Europe. Dr. Wei Chen Bruce Lin is an active solo recitalist and chamber music artist, performing throughout Canada, China, Mexico, Taiwan and the U.S. He also serves as head of piano at Amarillo College.
To compete for the highly coveted PMTNM State Piano awards, each contestant must first have won their age category in one of New Mexico’s Six Districts. First Place Winners from each District Competition advance to the State.
From the numerous gifted piano students in Los Alamos, five other contestants advanced to the finals of the State Contest, with each of them also being awarded prizes in their age division. Nine-year old Hannah Li, another student of Aejin Chang, was awarded Second Prize in Level One (ages nine and below) for her performance of Beethoven’s Nel cor piu non mi sento Variations. Li is the daughter of Wenfeng Li and Jingjing Chang.
Although living in Santa Fe, high school pianist Lucas Blakeslee studies with Los Alamos pianist/teacher, Janna Warren. Blakeslee was awarded Second Prize in the highest age Level Five (16 and 17 years) with his performance of six of the Twenty-Four Preludes, Op.11, by Alexander Skryabin.
In Level Three (13 and 14 years), Henry Gans was awarded Third Prize for his performance of J.S. Bach’s French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat, BWV 815. His parents are Jason Gans and Norma Pawley.
Also awarded Third Prize for his performance of a set of three Lyric Pieces, Op. 12 and Op.54, was Sean Lo (Level Two, ages 10 and 11). Lo is the son of Chienchi Lo and Hanju Tsai.
The fifth winning student was John Fung, earning an Honorable Mention in Level Two with his set of three pieces from Op. 27 by Dimitri Kabalevsky. Fung’s parents are Jimmy and Elizabeth-Sharon Fung. Gans, Lo, and Fung are all students of pianist/teacher Madeline Williamson.
All PMTNM State Honors Winners received a certificate, trophy, cash award and valuable written comments from the judges. Contestants must be studying with a teacher who is a member of all three professional organizations, PMTNM, the National MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) as well as the local affiliation, LAMTA (Los Alamos Music Teachers Association).
