Special Award Winners 2025
🏆️Grand Award
($500 and Recital on January 11, 2026, MIMF)
Sicheng He(China)
Instrument : Piano
[Piano]Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
James Madison University
Sicheng He is a pianist, collaborative artist, and piano instructor. He currently serves as an adjunct professor in the piano area at James Madison University, where he is also pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Piano Performance, Piano Pedagogy and Piano Literature.
An active performer, Mr. He has appeared in numerous recital halls and churches across the United States and China. His performances have taken place in prestigious venues such as the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, Ward Recital Hall, Gorell Hall, Esber Recital Hall, Hong Kong Arts Centre, and the Liaoning Grand Theatre.
As a sought-after pedagogue, he was recently invited to give a masterclass by the Indiana area music community, where he shared his insights on piano technique and musical interpretation with young artists and educators.
🏆️Virtuoso Pianist Award
($250 and Recital on January 11, 2026, MIMF)
Ayla Takeda Moreno(USA)
Instrument : Piano
[Piano]Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Home School
Ayla, Tucson, Arizona, performed concertos with 6 different Orchestras in USA, Italy, and Portugal. Recently Ayla performed at Carnegie Hall then participated to record a concerto with Orchestra Manhattan. She won many 1st places at many national and international competitions such as Chopin Competition in CT, concerto competition at Young Artist Piano Seminar at Cleveland Institute of Music, and WPTA Spain. Also she performed at many festivals such as Chopin festival in Busko-zdroj, Poland, PIMF, Tucson Folk Festival and also offered concerts such as Rising Star series in Tucson.
🏆️Virtuoso Violinist Award
($250 and Recital on January 11, 2026, MIMF)
Jiye Li(Macau)
Instrument : Violin
[Violin]Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
University of Cincinnati
🏆️Virtuoso Vocalist Award
($250 and Recital on January 11, 2026, MIMF)
None
🏆️Outstanding Performance Award
($50 and Certificate)
Steven Yoon(USA)
Instrument : Cello
Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Leland High School
Joy Moon(South Korea)
Instrument : Violin
Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
British International School Ho Chị Mình City
Bolim Kang(South Korea)
Instrument : Horn
Young Artist Division : Age 19 to 22
Sungsin Women’s University
Eunseo Jo(South Korea)
Instrument : Piano
Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Jeonju Arts Middle School
🏆️Best Music Teacher Award
($100 and AYTIMC Judge 2026)
Ms. Vicky Pan (USA)
Piano Teacher, Cailfornia
🏆️Young Talent Award
(Special Gift($60 Value) and Certificate
Christina Zhou(USA)
Instrument : Violin
Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Davidson Elementary School
Hyeon Cho(USA)
Instrument : Viola
Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Wissahickon High School
AYTIMC 2024 Special Award Winners
🏆️ Virtuoso Violinist Award : Mariechristine Lopez, USA (Violin, Professional Artist division : Age 20 to Age 36) 🏆️ Virtuoso Pianist Award : Dailin Zeng, USA (Piano, Professional Artist division : Age 20 to Age 36) 🏆️ Best Music Teacher Award : 1. Ms. Michelle Lee, USA - Piano Teacher 2. Ms.Tina Kim, USA - Flute / Piano Teacher
🏆️ Outstanding Performance Awards : 1. Youjin Kim, South Korea (Piano, Professional Artist division : Age 20 to Age 36 2. Caleb Matthew Santiago, USA (Piano, Young Artist division : Age 15 to 19) 3. Lorrie Leung, HongKong (Oboe, Young Talent division : Age 9 to 14) 4. Keonhyo Kim, South Korea (Voice-Tenor, Professional Artist division : Age 20 to Age 36)
🏆️ Young Talent Prize for Violin, Viola : 1. Caroline Kim, USA (Violin, Junior division : Up to Age 8) 2. Katie Chung, South Korea (Viola, Young Talent division : Age 9 to 14)
Piano
Ellie Pan(USA)
1st Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Lila Bringhurst elementary school
Ailyn Kim(USA)
2nd Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Campbell School of Innovation
Kai Xiang Wang(Canada)
3rd Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Lions Gate Montessori School
Aurora Xu(Canada)
4th Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
N/A
Ian Xu(Canada)
6th Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
N/A
Nikolai Bryant(USA)
2nd Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Edna Brewer Middle School
Pearl Cheung(USA)
3rd Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Chinese Immersion School at Deavila
William Chen(USA)
4th Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Challenger School
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Mina Sinclair(USA)
5th Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Claire Lilienthal School
Chloe Hui(Canada)
6th Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
York House School
Ayla Takeda Moreno
(USA)
1st Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Home School
Tianyi Terho Yang(USA)
3rd Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Bellarmine College Preparatory
Anya Li(USA)
4th Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Irvington High School
Nicole Gorbacheva(USA)
2nd Place
[Piano] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Beverly Hills High School
Carrie Su(USA)
4th Place
[Piano] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Leigh High School
Sicheng He(China)
1st Place
[Piano] Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
James Madison University
Warlem Fernandes(Brazil)
3rd Place
[Piano] Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
Faculty of Music of Espírito Santo
Onyu Kwak(South Korea)
2nd Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
North London Collegiate School, Jeju
Praylee Cheung(USA)
3rd Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Chinese Immersion School at Deavila
Suwicha Pipatvatcharanont
(Thailand)
4th Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Singapore inter'l school of Bangkok
Ethan Liu(Canada)
5th Place
[Piano] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Dorothy Uytengsu Piano Studio
Anna Smerdova
(Czech Republic)
1st Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Tiziano Rossetti Inter'l Music Academy
Elena Gioachin(Singapore)
2nd Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Peyhwan Kuan Piano Studio
Steven Xu(USA)
3rd Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Stratford Preparatory Middle School
Travis Yu(USA)
4th Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Zion Lutheran School
Eliza Nikoloski
(Macedonian)
5th Place
[Piano] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
DMBUC "Ilija Nikolovski-Luj"
Eunseo Jo(South Korea)
1st Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Jeonju Arts Middle School
Avni Chinmaya Dharmadhikari(Singapore)
3rd Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Home School
Emma Jin(USA)
4th Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Los Gatos High School
Andrew Jin(USA)
5th Place
[Piano] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Stratford Middle San Jose
Serena Wang(Canada)
3rd Place
[Piano] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Dorothy Uytengsu Piano Studio
Anirud Sainarayanan(USA)
5th Place
[Piano] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
A&P Educational Services
Xiaoxiao Ouyang(China)
2nd Place
[Piano] Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
Michigan State University
Violin
Joy Moon(South Korea)
1st Place
[Violin] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
British Inter'l School Ho Chị Mình City
Taeseo Jeong
(South Korea)
3rd Place
[Violin] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Dong Wha Kindergarten
Yunjun Choi(USA)
5th Place
[Violin] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Springville Elementary School
Jei Park(USA)
2nd Place
[Violin] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Wonderland Avenue Elementary School
Seojin Kim(South Korea)
4th Place
[Violin] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Chadwick International School
Kijun Nam(South Korea)
2nd Place
[Violin] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Daecheong middle school
Katie Maben(USA)
4th Place
[Violin] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Keystone School
Elodie Breig(USA)
1st Place
[Violin] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Crescenta Valley High School
James Chang
(Chinese American)
3rd Place
[Violin] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Shanghai American School
Jiye Li(Macau)
1st Place
[Violin] Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
University of Cincinnati
Bomin Koo(South Korea)
2nd Place
[Violin] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Seowon Elementary School
Kyumin Kim
(South Korea)
4th Place
[Violin] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
British Inter'l School Ho Chi Minh City
Christina Zhou(USA)
1st Place
[Violin] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Davidson Elementary School
Ellie Hyunsoo Yuh(USA)
3rd Place
[Violin] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Fairmeadow Elementary School
Ayla Takeda Moreno(USA)
1st Place
[Violin] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Home School
Cherise Ho(USA)
3rd Place
[Violin] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Coastline Christian School
Jeehyo Han(South Korea)
5th Place
[Violin] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
BEK secondary School
Hyerin Park(South Korea)
2nd Place
[Violin] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Korea International School
Nabin Won(South Korea)
4th Place
[Violin] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Seoul International School (SIS)
Siyi Zhang(USA)
3rd Place
[Violin] Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
N/A
Viola
Hyeon Cho(USA)
3rd Place
[Viola] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Wissahickon High School
Cello
Wong Ching Wan
(Hong Kong)
3rd Place
[Cello] Junior Division I : Up to Age 8
Pui Ching Primary School
Yuju Lee(South Korea)
5th Place
[Cello] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Chadwick International School
Taehee Kim(USA)
4th Place
[Cello] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Chadwick international school
Jeremy Tung(USA)
2nd Place
[Cello] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Murdock Portal Elementary
Heather Heemin Kim
(South Korea)
3rd Place
[Cello] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Korea Inter'l School Pangyo Campus
Steven Yoon(USA)
1st Place
[Cello] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Leland High School
Chamber Music
Triple Strings
(South Korea)
2nd Place
[Chamber] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Chadwick International School
Flute
Sara Oh(USA)
2nd Place
[Flute] Junior Division II : Age 9 to 12
Mill Creek Elementary School
Noella Lee(USA)
4th Place
[Flute] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Hyejung Baik’s Studio
Yeseo Yoon(South Korea)
2nd Place
[Flute] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Dartmouth Middle School
Alice Hu(USA)
2nd Place
[Flute] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
King High School IB
World Music Instrument
Assawongrat Assarangchai
(Thailand)
1st Place
[Thai Flute] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
St.Mark's Australian International School
Clarinet
Jihan Lee(South Korea)
3rd Place
[Clarinet] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Korea International School
Elisa Cheng(USA)
4th Place
[Clarinet] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Winston Churchill High School
Andrew Jun(USA)
2nd Place
[Clarinet] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Valley Christian High School
Bassoon
Qin Wu(China)
4th Place
[Bassoon] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Shenzhen Huitong School
Horn
Jun-Hyeong Jeon
(South Korea)
4th Place
[Horn] Senior Division : Age 13 to 15
Sangmyung Middle School
Chandler Michael Beck(USA)
2nd Place
[Horn] Professional Artist : Age 23 to Age 40
University of Gothenburg
Bolim Kang
(South Korea)
1st Place
[Horn] Young Artist Division : Age 19 to 22
Sungsin Women’s University
Voice
Samira Sosa Saied(USA)
6th Place
[Soprano] Young Talent Division : Age 16 to 18
Martha Chavez Singing
Jieun Jung(South Korea)
3rd Place
[Soprano] Professional Artist division : Age 20 to Age 36, N/A
