国际专业音乐教师协会呈献卡内基音乐厅音乐盛典之夜
纽约州纽约市 – 2025 年 7 月 1 日 – 国际专业音乐教师协会 (IAPMT) 于 2025 年 7 月 1 日星期二在卡内基音乐厅著名的威尔独奏厅举办了一场引人入胜的音乐会。尽管当晚小雨淅沥，气温约 77°F，并伴有 10 英里/小时的微风，但厅内气氛热烈，充满着对多元音乐才华之夜的期待。
音乐会展示了 24 位敬业参与者的卓越才能，呈现了古典与当代作品的丰富多彩。节目涵盖了众多著名作曲家的作品，包括亚伦·科普兰、本杰·帕塞克与贾斯汀·保罗、卡米尔·圣桑、卡尔·科林、凯瑟琳·罗林、弗雷德里克·肖邦、约翰内斯·勃拉姆斯、约翰·塞巴斯蒂安·巴赫、莫里斯·拉威尔、梅洛迪·博伯、莫里茨·莫什科夫斯基、巴勃罗·德·萨拉萨蒂、罗伯特·舒曼和沃尔夫冈·阿马德乌斯·莫扎特。每场演出都彰显了 IAPMT 所培养的音乐艺术的深度与广度。
当晚的一大亮点是来自加拿大的八人乐团“悠扬二胡乐团”的特邀演出。他们用中国传统乐器精湛演绎了刘天华的《C 小调奏鸣曲，作品 13，第 8 号》和《良宵》，为节目增添了独特而迷人的文化维度。乐团对二胡及其他乐器的精湛技艺深深打动了观众，带来了一次难忘的跨文化音乐体验。
这场音乐会证明了专业音乐教学界及其学生的奉献精神和才华，为与会者在世界上最具标志性的场馆之一带来了一个难忘的卓越音乐之夜。
卡内基音乐厅趣闻：标志性的主厅
卡内基音乐厅的核心，也是其最著名的空间，无疑是艾萨克·斯特恩礼堂/罗纳德·O·佩雷尔曼舞台。这座宏伟的五层大厅可容纳约 2,804 人，因其非凡的音响效果而广受赞誉，这一特质在一个多世纪以来吸引了传奇艺术家并迷住了观众。其独特的曲线设计和墙壁上缺乏装饰元素并非仅仅是美学选择，而是精心打造的特色，有助于其无与伦比的音质清晰度和温暖度。从高耸的包厢到第一和第二层包厢的亲密体验，每个座位都提供了卓越的听觉享受。舞台本身，现以罗纳德·O·佩雷尔曼的名字命名，曾举办过无数音乐史上的标志性时刻，从古典杰作的世界首演到爵士乐和流行音乐传奇的开创性表演，巩固了其作为世界上最受推崇的表演场所之一的地位。该礼堂于 1997 年以传奇小提琴家艾萨克·斯特恩的名字命名，以表彰他在 20 世纪 60 年代拯救卡内基音乐厅免于拆除的关键作用。
Featured Performers
April Zhang
Born in 2011 in Manhattan, New York, April Zhang is a piano prodigy. April spent much of her childhood in Colorado, where she began winning many piano competitions from an early age. At just eight years old, she made her orchestral debut performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19 in F Major, K. 459 with the National Repertory Orchestra at the Breckenridge Music Festival.
Over the years, April has earned top awards in highly regarded competitions and festivals. Her accolades include: Grand Prize and First Place at Satori Summer Music Festival, Barum International Competition, International Association of Professional Music Teachers (IAPMT) Grand Autumn Competition; First Place at Carmel Klavier International Piano Competition (piano concerto), Bach International Music Competition; and top winners at International Keyboard Odyssiad and Festival, Bellflower Symphony Association Concerto Competition, CAPMT, IAPMT, Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC), and Music Teachers National Association (MTNA – California State). Recognized for her artistry, April was invited by the IAPMT to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in July 2025.
In addition to piano, April is an accomplished young flutist. She has performed with several prominent youth ensembles, including the Young Artists Orchestra of Los Angeles, the Pacific Academy Foundation Orchestra, and the Pacific Symphony Youth Concert Band. She has earned placements in the Irvine Unified School District Honor Band, Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association Honor Bands, and the California All-State Honor Band.
Committed to using her talents to serve the community, April has performed in numerous benefit and outreach concerts. In recognition of her volunteerism, she has received The President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award from the White House twice and was honored with the John Philip Sousa Band Award, one of the most prestigious awards for young musicians in the United States.
BIN GUI
Originally from Qingdao, China, violinist Bin Gui enjoys a career as an orchestra player and a soloist. Gui has been a first violinist with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra since June 2022, and an orchestra member of Symphoria since June 2023. She has performed orchestra concerts in Carnegie Hall as well as the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts. Previously, she frequently served as the concertmaster of Manhattan School Symphony Orchestra and Mannes School orchestra. She was also a member of Camerata’s NY orchestra 2018-2019 and a member of Charlottesville and University Symphony orchestra 2012-2014.
As a soloist, Gui won numerous competitions, including the Vivaldi International Music Competition in 2022, the New York Artists International Competition in 2017, and the First National Violin Grade Examination Competition for Excellent Players in the highest grade. Recently, Gui has been invited as a returning soloist to the Great Room Arts Salon Season 2 concert in Greater New York.
An avid participant in summer music festivals, Gui was invited to festivals such as the Texas Music Festival, the National Orchestral Institute, Orford Academy, and MusicAlps. She also performed in solo and chamber masterclasses given by Glenn Dicterow, David Kim, Stephen Rose, Andrzej Grabiec, James Dunham, and Levon Chilingirian.
Gui held a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in classical violin performance from Manhattan School of Music with Prof. Lucie Robert, and she has recently got her second master’s degree in Orchestral Performance from the same school under the tutelage of Glenn Dicterow, Lisa Kim, and David Chan.
Daniel Shan
Daniel Shan
Keyboard and Vocal
Music is big part of my life. Using music to serve people is my goal.
I've been practicing piano almost everyday since I was 4 years old. When I was 10, I started keyboard accompaniment regularly in occasions like summer camps and choirs. Coming to the Bay Area is a big move for my music journey. Now I study with Yung Mee Rhee in her piano studio where my horizon was greatly broaden and I found my interests in singing while still majoring in piano. I long for bringing music with passion to my audience and letting people experience joy, hope and love.
I like music but I am proud of my other hobbies, too. I am a big fan of rubik cube and lego models. I competed twice at World Cube Association games and surprised all my naysayers by finishing a hand-made 3D piano structure using cardboard after 2 months hard work.
Isabelle Zhen
Isabelle Zhen, age 15, is a sophomore at Westlake High School. She is emerging as a compelling young artist who brings passion and versatility to her performances. Isabelle began her musical journey at age five with piano and discovered her love for violin during the pandemic. She began violin lessons in 2023 and is a member of WHS’s chamber orchestra.
Currently studying violin under the guidance of teacher Shuwei Liu and piano with Shuting Chen, Isabelle has achieved many honors in music. Her piano achievements include State and Branch honors from the MTAC, multiple invitations to perform at the MTAC convention, and gold medals in both the MTAC Festimantic and Advanced Contemporary Music Festival. She was also selected as a winner of the Southwest Youth Music Festival. Additionally, she has performed both piano and violin concertos with the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic Professional Orchestra.
Isabelle's commitment to sharing music extends beyond the concert hall. She regularly performs at local nursing homes, school quartets, and the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, where she brings comfort and joy to cancer patients and their families through her music. Isabelle is a straight-A-student with gold presidential awards. Her dedication to excellence extends to athletics as well, where she contributes to Westlake High School's varsity tennis team, 2024 Southern California Division 1 CIF champions.
Isaiah An
I was born in 2008 and started playing the piano when I was four years old. I loved playing the piano from a young age just as much as I enjoyed playing with other toys. I participated in various recitals and CM tests, continuously progressing, and on November 2, 2024, I performed Bach’s Concerto in A Major for piano with a conductor and an orchestra. It was the most memorable and rewarding experience of all the competitions I had participated in.
JIHOON LEE
Jihoon Lee started learning piano at the age of seven. He is currently studying piano under the guidance of Ms. Mikyung Kim and Professor Iljoo Kim.
Recently, he has achieved outstanding results in numerous competitions, including:
2024 Yeungnam University National Music Competition – 1st Place
2024 56th Nanpa National Music Competition – 1st Place
2024 22nd University of Ulsan National Student Music Competition – 1st Place
2024 33rd Sungjung Music Competition – Gold Prize
2024 London International Music Competition – First Prize
2024 UK International Music Competition – Absolute First Prize
2024 European Classical Music Awards – Platinum Prize
2024 Amadeus International Music Awards – Gold Prize
2025 1st Eugene On Music International Piano Competition – 1st Place (Elementary Division)
2025 1st Korea Competition – Carnegie Grand Prize
Aside from music, Jihoon enjoys K-POP dance and solving mathematical equations.
Le Ji
Le Ji, born in China, is currently working in Oakland University as a collaborative pianist, as well as choir accompanist in Carolyn Mawby Chorale, Verna D. Holley Project Community Choir, Olivet Community School Choir, and Mason First Presbyterian Church Chorale. At the same time, she also serves as the piano director of the Transcendence Performing Arts Center. As an instrumental accompanist, she had worked for Samuel Rhodes, Nicholas Mann, Patinka Kopec, Michael Parloff, Dmitri Berlinsky, and among others. As a vocal accompanist, she works for George Shirley, Richard Fracker, Marc Embree, Melanie Helton, and so on.
Sam Vaillancourt
Violinist Sam Vaillancourt served as concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, with whom he was featured as a soloist in 2024, and he served as concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus, with whom he was featured as a soloist in 2021, 2022, and 2023. He performed as a member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra Chamber Players, and the Franklin Pond Chamber Music Program. He was chosen to represent the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra in a chamber concert where he performed with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He is currently a contracted violinist in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and an Artist Ambassador for the Samuel Vargas International Music Foundation, for which he was on the jury for the 2024 SV Scholars violin competition.
In 2023, Sam attended the ENCORE Chamber Music Institute, where he worked with renowned artists and esteemed faculty, including but not limited to Paul Kantor, Jinjoo Cho, Brendan Shea, Steve Miahky, the Catalyst and Cavani Quartets, and more. In 2023/2024, Sam attended the Red Rocks Winter Chamber Music Festival, where he worked with renowned artists such as Shmuel Ashkenasi, Sheila Browne, and Tom Landshoot. In 2024, Sam attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival where he had the opportunity to work with Sergiu Schwartz, and give many featured performances. In 2022, Sam attended the Montecito International Music Festival where he performed in a masterclass for Rice University/Juilliard violin professor and international soloist, Cho Liang Lin. In 2021, Sam attended the Chamber Festival Intensive at the Idyllwild Summer Arts Academy where he was named assistant concertmaster of the festival orchestra and worked with Los Angeles’ Colburn School of Music faculty Sam Fischer and John Walz. In 2022 Sam’s quintet was featured in a masterclass given by Emerson String Quartet members Phil Setzer and Lawrence Dutton. Through the Schwob School of music, he has also had the opportunity to perform in a masterclass for the Quicksilver Baroque Ensemble, and serve as a featured solo artist for the Schwob School of Music’s Annual “Kaleidoscope” production in 2024, as well as a soloist in the Schwob School’s Opening Convocation in the same year.
Sam is involved in many ensembles at the Schwob School of Music, including but not limited to various chamber groups, faculty-student exchanges, the Schwob Philharmonic, where he served as rotating concertmaster in 2024, the Schwob Virtuosi Ensemble, the Schwob Opera Orchestra, and has served as Principal Second Violin for the Columbus Ballet pit orchestra since 2023. Sam has participated in All-State Orchestras annually since 2020, performing in leadership roles in 2023 (concertmaster), 2021 (concertmaster), and 2020 (principal second) and was a finalist in the 2021 Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerto Competition. He was awarded 4th place in the same competition in 2020. He competed in the Junior, Senior, and Young Artist MTNA competitions in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024, where he received Honorable Mention in 2021, 2023, and 2024. In 2024, Sam was named a finalist for the inaugural Panama City Symphony Emerging Young Artists Competition, and the Schwob School of Music Concerto Competition. In 2022, Sam was awarded 1st prize in the Great Composers Competition: Best Saint Saens Performance. He was also awarded 1st prize Great Composers Competition: Best Saint Saens Performance in the solo and chamber divisions. Sam was also awarded 1st prize in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition in 2023. Sam was awarded 2nd Prize in the Great Composers Competition: Best Bach Performance in 2024. Sam was named as an alternate for the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America in 2023 and is one of three winners of the Schwob School of Music’s Woodruff Scholarship. He was also awarded second prize in the Atlanta Federation of Musicians’ John H. Head Scholarship Competition. He currently studies violin performance with Prof. Sergiu Schwartz at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. Sam currently plays on a violin made by Wojciech Topa in 2020.
Also, an accomplished pianist and composer, Sam received ABRSM Theory 5 distinction and Piano Performance Level 5 Distinction, the highest level for both categories. He was a National Award of Excellence winner & GA State winner of the 2018-19 PTA Reflections Music Composition competition. In 2017-18 he was the regional and Georgia state winner in the PTA Reflections competition for Music Composition. Sam was awarded an Award of Distinction for the 2021 ABRSM piano competition, a GMTA Honorable Mention award for his piano performance in the 2019 state auditions, and an Award of Excellence for 2020.
