Competition Excellence: Strategies & Mindset for Optimal Performance Prowess

A Symposium by Headlining Guest, Steinway Artist Zhao Yang Ming Tian

Steinway Gallery Singapore is proud to host a piano competition symposium, featuring insights from esteemed pianists and educators, including visiting Steinway Artist Zhao Yang Ming Tian. He will be joined by Steinway Artist Benjamin Loh and the esteemed STEP teacher Zhou Yun, with the session being moderated by the professional pianist and educator Tiffany Leu. The symposium will delve into the various prep work for the 7th Steinway Youth Piano Competition 2025, with a focus on the strategies and mindset necessary for optimal performance prowess.

WORKSHOP VENUE

Steinway Gallery Singapore, 2 Orchard Turn #04-15A ION Orchard, 238801

UPCOMING SYMPOSIUM

21 June 2024 (Fri), 11.00am – 12.00pm

Admission is free.

Limited seats, on first-come-first-served basis.

PROGRAMME

11:00 – 11:45 – Lecture
11:45 – 12:00 – Q&A
12:00 – 12:05 – *surprise*
12:05 onwards – Reception

Piano competitions serve as invaluable platforms for growth and achievements, none more illustrious than the biannual Steinway Youth Piano Competition, which brings together talented young pianists in Singapore. As these budding virtuosos strive for excellence, they embark on journeys of self-improvement, aiming for both prestigious titles and valuable experiences. Preparation is key in the lead-up to these competitions, encompassing repertoire selection, interpretative nuances, mental conditioning, stage presence, and navigating social media presence.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Parents seeking to bolster their understanding of how to effectively support their children in competition settings.
Students aspiring to be better equipped for piano competitions.
Teachers who plan to prepare their students for competitions.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Practical insights and expert advice on competition preparation strategies.
Understanding the pivotal role of repertoire selection, stage presence, and leveraging social media in enhancing competition prospects.
Cultivation of the optimal mindset for both pre-competition preparation and performance execution.

PANELISTS

Steinway Artist Zhao Yang Ming Tian

Steinway Artist Dr. Yangmingtian Zhao has been hailed as ‘an elegant and sincere artist with a sensitive… magic touch designed for an international career’. Dr. Zhao is currently an assistant professor at the Sun Yat-sen University in China and appointed as the president of WPTA, China (World Piano Teachers Association). Before moving back to China, Dr. Zhao was a faculty at the Northwestern University in the USA. In the past several years, Dr. Zhao has been slated to appear in several concert halls in various countries including the US, France, Italy, Hungary, Singapore, and China. The prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall in New York, Cultural Center in Chicago, Kauffman Center in Kansas City, Esplanade in Singapore, Shanghai Concert Hall, Guangzhou Opera House, Shenzhen Concert Hall, Chateau de Fontainebleau in France, and Teleki-Wattay Castle in Hungary. In 2011, after his solo recital at the Esplanade Recital Hall in Singapore, a local newspaper carried the following comment: “Ever wondered what celebrity pianists Lang Lang and Li Yundi were like before they became really famous?” In 2018, his concert at the Carnegie Hall was praised as “beautifully shone with lightning-fast virtuosity and quicksilver dynamic changes” by New York Concert Review.

Dr. Zhao has collaborations with many distinguished orchestras and musicians. He has performed concertos with Budafok Dohnányi orchestra in Hungary, Changsha symphony orchestra, Beijing symphony orchestra, Lanzhou symphony orchestra in China. In the US, he was invited to play with Northwestern University symphony orchestra, the University of Kansas symphony orchestra. Between 2016-2019, Dr. Zhao served as the harpsichordist in resident at the Alice Millar Chapel in Chicago to present ten concerts with Alice Millar Baroque Ensemble. Dr. Zhao also partnered with the Hungarian Clarinetist Bence Specezi to tour in the North America and Asia between 2018-2019 and released their album. Recently, Dr. Zhao has also extended crossover cooperation with artists from various brands and different fields, such as K11 in Hong Kong, Giada in Italy, Uniqlo in Japan, and YUNĒ in Guangzhou.

Despite his young age, Dr. Zhao’s sensation is also active in music teaching. At the Sun Yat-sen university, he is the founder of the western music history, and music theory courses for a 100-year-old institution. He also teaches piano performance with exploring interdisciplinary studies such as art history. In piano field, Dr. Zhao has a particular focus on the technical aspects of performance, which brings him to specialize on the topics of Carl Czerny, Theodor Leschetizky, Franz Liszt, and as well as the interprofessional research between music and painting. He has regularly taught masterclass as a visiting lecturer in numerous important music festivals and colleges, such as Adam Gyorgy Academy in Hungary, Amalfi Coast Festival in Italy, the American University in Washington D.C, Tsinghua University in Beijing, and Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu. In China, his online courses about Carl Czerny have received over sixty- thousand registrations and more than a half million views in his other various online courses. In the past two years, the pupils of Dr. Zhao have been admitted to John Hopkins University, Columbia University, Southern California University, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Toronto, Cincinnati Conservatory, and Oberlin Conservatory. Recently, Dr. Zhao was also appointed to judge the 10^th Steinway Youth Competition, the Wefon International Piano Competition, and the Oxford International Youth Competition.

Since taking part in the Hong Kong Mozart Competition in 2003, where he was the Second Prizewinner, Ming Tian has received numerous international accolades. He won the Gold Award at the China Central Television’s Youth Piano Competition in 2004, as well as the “Kadenza” Youth Competition in China three years later, where he was also the First Prizewinner. In 2010, at the inaugural International Chopin Piano Competition held in Singapore, Dr. Zhao charmed a local audience and an international jury to sweep both the Audience Prize as well as the Second Prize. A local reviewer praised the “vast palette of sound and emotions” displayed in his “awe-inspiring” performance. A year later, Dr. Zhao again won the Audience Prize and was placed Second in The International Institute for Young Musicians International Piano Competition 2011 held in Lawrence, Kansas. In 2012, he was second runner-up at the World International Piano Competition; at the Golden Era of Romantic Music International Competition, held in celebration of the bicentenary of Franz Liszt, he won the First Prize – this led to a successful debut at Carnegie Hall in May 2012. In 2015, Dr. Zhao won the audience prize in Ravel Competition in Fontainebleau, France.

Dr. Zhao started college at the age of sixteen at Nanyang academy of Fine Arts in Singapore, honing his performance skills under Steinway Artist Mr. Benjamin Loh. In 2014, Dr. Zhao received his bachelor degree at the University of Kansas with honor, under mentorship of Steinway Artist Steven Spooner. Subsequently, Dr. Zhao received a full scholarship for completing Master degree at Rice University under distinctive Steinway Artist Dr. Robert Roux. In 2021, Dr. Zhao was awarded the Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in piano performance and pedagogy, a dual degree program in Northwestern University.

Steinway Artist Benjamin Loh

Benjamin Loh first obtained his B.Sc. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Subsequently, he studied at the Manhattan School of Music, where he graduated with a Master of Music in Piano Performance as a student of Dr. Marc Silverman.

Since returning to Singapore, he has successfully balanced the role of performer and teacher. As a performer, he is often heard in chamber music concerts, and performs locally as well as abroad.

He is also very much in demand as a teacher, and has given lectures and master classes in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Italy and the U.S.A. As an adjudicator, he has been on the jury of numerous piano competitions in Asia and the United States.

Presently, he is on the piano faculty of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the LASALLE College of the Arts, and also maintains an active private teaching studio.

Mr. Loh is a Steinway Artist.

Zhou Yun

周韵

Concert Pianist, Steinway Educational Partner
旅英钢琴家, 施坦威荣誉教师

Zhou Yun graduated from the Royal College of Music ,She also was awarded the RCM scholarship during her studies.

Yun’s particular oriental elegance and exquisite performance obtain immense recognition and acceptance in all her concerts. She is also the prize-winner of many international competitions.

She performs actively in Singapore, UK, Spain , Italy and other European countries, participating in both commercial as well as charity concerts.

Her impressive performances attracts European and Chinese media including Chinatimes, Shan Dong INEWS, Shandong Radio Television Broadcasting Center, etc, to report and invite her for exclusive interviews. Chinatimes reviewed Yun`s performance as “her performance sounds like a fairytale. The clear, smooth sound flows from her fingertips filled with dynamic and imagination.”

Since 2017, Yun has successfully toured and performed in more than 20 Chinese cities including Shen Zhen, Tian jin, Xia Men, Guang Dong, Shan Dong and Nei Meng Gu, etc.

Besides her busy concert schedule, Yun strives to enthuse her students with her passion and love for the piano, while she imparts her skills to them. Many of her students have been awarded gold and silver prizes in international competitions. Now she is piano instructor in Nanyang Academy Of Fine Arts.

MODERATOR

Tiffany Leu

Professional Pianist, Teacher

Pianist and educator Tiffany Leu has graced stages in countries such as Taiwan, Malaysia, USA, Italy and Singapore. She has performed with the Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra, New Opera Singapore, Kris Foundation, New York University New Music Ensemble, the Music Improvisation Collective and more. A graduate of New York University and Boston University – Tiffany holds both bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in piano performance and music education. She is MOE Arts and Music Instructors Scheme certified teacher, member of the Singapore Music Teachers Association, and a certified music examiner at Trinity College London. Tiffany has held teaching positions at GIG International School, Stamford American International School and Singapore American School. She currently runs a full teaching studio and is the Arts & Creative Consultant at Steinway Gallery Singapore.