

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