HAPPENING
@ New Music School
Isaac Jang - Winner
Congratulations to Isaac Jang (@isaacjan.g) for winning the Oak Park River Forest High School (@oprfhs_huskies) Concerto Competition performing the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.
Isaac Jang, 16, is a sophomore at Oak Park and River Forest High School and has studied piano since the age of six. He currently studies at New Music School with renowned pianist and artist faculty member Winston Choi (@winstonchoipiano). This month, Isaac will also study with artist in resident, concert pianist Hieyon Choi (@hieyonchoi) at New Music School (@newmusicschool).
Jonathan Truong - Winner
Congratulations to Jonathan Truong (@jonathantruong.piano) for winning the Junior Division at ISMTA North Competition performing Beethoven’s Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10 No. 2: 1. Allegro and Selections from Prokofiev’s Visions Fugitives, Op. 22.
Jonathan is in the House of Mozart, Level II at NMS Conservatory Program, where he now studies with Dr. Wenting Shi & Dr. Winston Choi.
Daniel Razminia - Toronto International Piano Competition
Pianist Daniel Razminia (15), student of Jeffrey Panko and Mary Sauer, performed in the finals of the Toronto International Piano Competition. 140 applicants world wide applied for admission to the competition, and we are so proud of Daniel for being selected for the opportunity!
Daniel performed:
S. Rachmaninoff: Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 32 No. 12
S. Rachmaninoff: Prelude in D major, Op. 23 No. 4
L. van Beethoven: Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2 (“The Tempest”) – I. Largo – Allegro
F. Chopin: Etude in B minor, Op. 25 No. 10
Constantine Wang — Gold Award
Congratulations to Constantine Wang (13) for being one of three winners of the Gold Award in the 2026 Singapore Raffles International Music Festival Competition Youth Category Piano Solo Online Competition. Constantine is a student of Winston Choi and Jeffrey Panko at New Music School. He has recently won First Prize in the Junior Category of the American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition 2026 and will be performing in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in June. Additionally, as the winner of the GOLD HANDS of the Carles and Sofia Piano Competition, he has been invited to perform in Spain this summer. He also recently performed in the Intermediate Piano Master Class with Nancy O’Neill Breth at the 2026 MTNA National Conference.
Beatrice Valenzuela - 1st Place
Congratulations to Beatrice Valenzuela @beatricelavioloniste for winning the 2026 ISMTA E-Competition Non-Piano Junior Division.
Mika Matsuyama - 1st Place
Mika Matsuyama (16), student of Jeffrey Panko, and coached by Sean Bennett, was awarded 1st Place in the Senior Division of the 2026 NSMTA Karen Tobias Piano Competition.
Leo Ma - Winner
Congratulations to Leo Ma for winning the 2026 Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Concerto Competition for the Philharmonic Orchestra! Leo Ma @leo.ma.12 is a 13-year-old violinist from Chicago, currently studying with Professor Minghuan Xu @allthings.strings at New Music School.
Constantine Wang — 1st Prize
Constantine Wang (13), student of Winston Choi, won First Prize in the Junior Category of the American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition 2026. He will be performing in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in June. Additionally, as the winner of the GOLD HANDS of the Carles and Sofia Piano Competition, he has been invited to perform in Spain this summer. He also recently performed in the Intermediate Piano Master Class with Nancy O’Neill Breth at the 2026 MTNA National Conference.
Mika Matsuyama — 2nd Prize
Mika Matsuyama (16), student of Jeffrey Panko, Mary Sauer, and Sean Bennett, was awarded second prize in the American Protege competition and will perform in the coming months at Carnegie Hall. Mika also received Honorable Mention placement at the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra Stanger Concerto Competition.
Mika Matsuyama - Honorable Mention with Distinction
Congratulations to Mika Matsuyama for receiving an Honorable Mention with Distinction at the 2026 DePaul National Concerto Competition. Mika is a House of Ravel (Level IV - Undergraduate Expectations) student, studying with artist faculty Jeffrey Panko & Mary Sauer, & artist development faculty Sean Bennett.
NMS Students at the 2026 Chicago Area Music Teacher’s Association Sonata Festival — Placements
Many NMS students received Honors at the 2026 Chicago Area Music Teacher’s Association Sonata Festival.
Beatrice Valenzuela - Semifinalist
Congratulations to Beatrice Valenzuela for making it to the Semifinals at the 2026 Sphinx Competition. Beatrice will compete Thursday AM. We are all wishing her the best of luck!!
Beatrice is a student of Desirée Ruhstrat & Timothy Hager at New Music School and is in the House of Beethoven (Level 3-College Preparatory).
Sebastían Jiménez - Gold Medal
Congratulations to Sebastían Jiménez for receiving a Gold Medal at the Sonatina Competition Northwest Suburban Music Teachers Association in October 2025.
Sebastían is a student of Clinton Velman in the House of Bach (I) at NMS.
Kenneth Gallwas — 1st Place
KEN GALLWAS, FIRST PLACE
ROCKFORD SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA CONCERTO COMPETITION
Congratulations to Ken for winning the RSYO Concerto Competition performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37, III. Rondo. Allegro-Presto. Ken studies with Mary Sauer and Jeffrey Panko at New Music School.
Mika Matsuyama - In Masterclass with Steven Osborne
IN Masterclass with Steven Osborne - NMS pianist Mika Matsuyama has been invited to perform in a Masterclass with pianist Steven Osborne at the Grant Park Music Festival. Mika will be performing Chopin’s 2nd Scherzo. Mika is a student of Jeffrey Panko at New Music School.
Raegan & Kingston Lau - 1st & 2nd Place
Congratulations to Raegan (6) and Kingston Lau (4) for placing 1st on Solo and 2nd as a duet at the Illinois Music Association competition. They will perform on the Winners Recital tomorrow in Lombard at the DuPage Concert Hall.
Raegan and Kingston study with Clinton Velman at New Music School.
Gavin Chiam - Third Place
Gavin Chiam, student of Jeffrey Panko, was a Third Place winner (13 - 18) at the American Protégé International Concerto Competition, and was awarded a performance in Carnegie Hall early this summer.
NMS Piano Trio - In Masterclass with Imani Winds
IN Masterclass with Imani Winds - the NMS Piano Trio featuring Tongbai Deng (piano), Kevin Hernandez (cello), and Gabby Joew (flute), were invited to participate in a Masterclass at Grant Park Music Festival. The Trio performed Weber’s Piano Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano, Op 63. I. Allegro Moderato, and were coached through the work by Grammy Winning Chamber Music Ensemble, Imani Winds. The NMS Piano Trio was coached by Steve Yepez, flute faculty at New Music School.
Genoa Sinno - Third Place
Congratulations to Genoa Sinno, student of Jeffrey Panko, who was a Third Place winner (12 & under) at the American Protégé International Concerto Competition. She has been awarded a performance in Carnegie Hall early this summer.
Tong-Bai Deng - Winner
Tong-Bai Deng, student of Winston Choi, was named the winner of Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 Stanger Young Artist Competition. The announcement was made live at the conclusion of the Rising Stars of Stanger concert after he performed Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Movement IV. Congratulations, Tong-Bai!