Studio Competition
We hope to provide more performance opportunities for students in Houston/Katy area, and to learn from each other. In addition, students will receive comments from each judge, we provide valuable advice and direction of effort, and of course we offer scholarship cash prizes to award-winning students as encouragement.
Trust all the hard work you have done for this competition and now just enjoy the stage (moment)! Thank you for sharing your talent and love with us.
Enjoy your musical journey!
-Winnie Fan
I am honored to witness many talented young students’ passion for music through this competition. This contest is not only for the winners but for all participants who share their brilliant musical ability and potential with all of us. I hope everyone celebrates their endeavors. Congratulations to everyone!
-Sunjung Lee
Thank you to all who have prepared and performed for us today! It is never easy to present yourself in public, but I hope this occasion was an encouraging and confidence building opportunity. I also hope that art can always be a facet of expression and passion throughout your life. Bravo!
-Hyeok Kwon
Music is a gift, and the more generous we are with that gift, the more we will enjoy it ourselves! It can be difficult to keep this in perspective, not only because of all the hours of solitary practice, but also performing can be challenging and scary. The way to make it more natural is to seize as many opportunities as possible to perform and share your gift with others!
-Hannah Watson
Meet the Judges
Dr. WINNIE FAN is an active soloist, chamber musician, orchestral clarinetist, educator, and advocate of new music. She has performed throughout the United States and internationally in China, Japan, Taiwan, and United Kingdom. She joined the Central Texas Philharmonic, as Principal Clarinetist since 2013 and was appointed the Director of Admissions at Taipei Music Academy & Festival in 2019. She is also a member in the Houston Serenade Project, Aevum Piano Trio, and served as clarinet faculty at Vivace International School of Music.
Described by Dr. Mary Alice Druhan as “…played with bold dynamic range…expressive legato…” on International Clarinet Association Journal, Dr. Fan received numerous awards and recognition such as International Clarinet Association, Music Teacher National Association, Brevard Music Center, Fischoff International Chamber Music Association, Montecito International Music Festival.
Since 2016, Dr. Fan has advocated to performing voluntary for Alzheimer organization. In 2017, she started the “Winnie Fan Volunteer Performance Program” in the Greater Houston area to promote this action with her students and more people. Dr. Fan received her Doctoral of Musical Arts and Master of Music from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently maintains a large, private studio in the Greater Houston area.
HYEOK KWON has performed internationally in distinguished concert venues including Carnegie Hall, Seoul Arts Center, and the Kennedy Center. After completing his undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, he continued his graduate studies at Indiana University, as an Associate Instructor.
Hyeok has performed with internationally acclaimed artists such as, Joshua Bell and Daniel Hope, and has been invited to participate in prestigious music festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, and the New York String Orchestra Seminar. He has also had the privilege of performing for President Obama at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration. Hyeok performs with the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera as a substitute cellist, serves as faculty at the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts and the Paganini School of Music, and is the Artistic Director of the Tallowood Concert Series.
A concert pianist, Dr. SUNJUNG LEE, actively performs as a soloist and chamber musician. She also has been featured as a soloist with orchestras and has been invited to participate as a guest pianist in prestigious music festivals such as Atlantic Music Festival, Beijing International Music Festival and Academy, Busan International Music
Festival, and Music Fest Perugia. Dr. Lee is deeply involved in enriching the community through outreach programs and performing at unconventional venues such as hospitals, retirement centers, and schools. She performs regularly with her piano trio, Trio713, and is a pianist at the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at the Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Lee has also served as the director of the Cy-Fair Chamber Music Series and has appeared on KUHF Houston Public Radio on 87.9 FM. Also, a CD album “Archipelago of Light'' that she participated as a guest pianist was released in 2013 by Delos Music.
She has received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Kansas. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Piano Chamber Music and Accompanying at the Shepherd School of Music while serving as an adjunct professor at the Lone Star College in Montgomery, Texas.
Originally from Illinois, HANNAH WATSON moved to Houston to attend Rice University for her undergraduate degree in violin performance, studying with Kathleen Winkler. Subsequently, she attended Indiana University, where she completed her Master of Music degree in performance, studying with Jorja Fleezanis. During her time at IU, she completed a secondary focus in string pedagogy, studying with renowned pedagogues, Mimi Zweig and Brenda Brenner.
Upon graduating with highest honors, Hannah returned to Houston and began her rich freelancing career that combines both of her professional passions: teaching and performing. Hannah has enjoyed serving through various musical outreach programs, such as collaborating in the development of Houston Symphony’s School Residency Program at Lewis Elementary, serving as an instructor and coach for Mercury’s Academy for Professional Musicians and teaching for Houston Youth Symphony in several capacities. Hannah especially enjoys maintaining her private teaching studio where she is able to nurture her students’ love of music and help them grow individually.
As a versatile musician, Hannah has enjoyed performing at diverse venues with established ensembles such as Houston Grand Opera, Mercury Chamber Orchestra, Houston Ballet and Austin Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with chamber ensembles such as Apollo Chamber Players and the Kinetic Ensemble.
Some of Hannah’s other interests include watercolor painting, cross-stitch needlework, running and, most of all, spending time with her family.