Winners of 2014 Aloha International Piano Competition Announced

HONOLULU - June 18, 2014 - PRLog -- The Aloha International Piano Festival (AIPF) today announced the winners of the 2014 Aloha International Piano Competition held during a challenging three-day period at Honolulu’s Hawaii Convention Center from June 13 to 15. The Competition challenged pianists of all ages – some from as far away as the United Kingdom and Japan – offering them a unique public performance opportunity and the feedback of the judging panel, which included celebrated concert pianists Frederic Chiu, Jon Nakamatsu, John Bayless, Thomas Sauer, Haewon Song, and AIPF Founder Lisa Nakamichi. Prizewinners in select categories earned the opportunity to perform in concert as a featured artist with the Hawaii Youth Symphony, while others received $1000 special awards.

Aloha International Piano Competition: Concerto Division
Young pianists from around the world competed to win the opportunity to perform in concert as the featured artist with the Hawaii Youth Symphony. These two winners will perform with the Hawaii Youth Symphony at the winter concert on December 7, 2014 at Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu.
Concerto Division (ages 13 to 25)
Winner performing with Hawaii Youth Symphony I - Shiori Kuwahara
Winner performing with Hawaii Youth Symphony II - Keri Hui, who is currently studying at the University of Southern California with concert pianist Norman Krieger

Aloha International Piano Competition: Young Artist Division
Competitors in the Young Artist Division were eligible to receive a $1,000 special award.
Young Artists (ages 19 to 25)
First Place: Shiori Kuwahara of Tokyo
Second Place: Edgar Cardoso of Portugal, now studying in London, U.K.
Third Place: Tyler Ramos of Waipahu, HI

Aloha International Adult Amateur Competition
The Aloha International Piano Festival’s Adult Amateur Competition is designed to celebrate the life-long love and practice of piano playing and to provide a goal for every participant. While awards are given to outstanding participants, the main purpose of the event is less on the competition than on the sharing of musical experience with fellow participants and audience members.
Adult Amateur Competition (ages 25 & up)
First Place (tie): Mari Yoshihara of Honolulu and Miho Kiyoki of Japan
No second place awarded.
Third Place: Arisa Hasegawa of Honolulu

Aloha International Piano Competition: Levels A, B, Junior, High School Divisions
First prizewinners of Level B through Young Artist divisions receive a full scholarship to attend the weeklong 2015 Aloha International Piano Academy (a value of $500), which includes the opportunity to study one-on-one with Festival guest artists such as concert pianists Jon Nakamatsu, Bruce Brubaker, Frederic Chiu and more. One special award of $1,000 is given to the most outstanding winner competing in the junior, high school or young artist level.

Level A (up to age 8)
First Place: Aimee Okagawa  of Honolulu
Second Place: Laura Huang of Honolulu
Third Place: Koko Tanaka of Honolulu

Level B (ages 9 to 11)
First Place: Jairus Rhoades of Mililani, HI
Second Place: Yule Zhang of Anchorage, AK

Junior (ages 12 to 14)
First Place: Colin Choi of Chicago
Second Place (tie): Queenie Huang of Honolulu and Jeremy Lee of Honolulu
Third Place: Josette Huang of Honolulu

High School (ages 15 to 18)
First Place: Kai Wong of Honolulu
Second Place: Lauren Nguyen of Honolulu
Third Place: Shandee Teruya of Honolulu

Now in entering its tenth year, AIPF has grown from a grassroots event for local piano students and their teachers to a significant international festival, drawing hundreds of aspiring young musicians, concert pianists and educators from the world’s most respected music conservatories. To learn more, visit alohapianofestival.comand follow AIPF on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AlohaPianoFestival).

About the Aloha International Piano Festival
Founded in Honolulu in 2006 by pianist Lisa Nakamichi, the Aloha International Piano Festival (AIPF) is a non-profit organization committed to educating Hawaii’s children and teachers. AIPF addresses three main needs: the need for music teacher training, the need for low-cost music concerts and music education opportunities, and the need for high-caliber classes and lessons for piano students. AIPF strives to elevate the awareness of classical music in Hawaii while offering people of all ages the opportunity to experience music in a welcoming and educational setting. As a result of volunteer efforts and work to minimize administrative costs, AIPF has consistently offered programs at low and affordable rates for more than nine years. Visit alohapianofestival.com (http://www.alohapianofestival.com/) for more information.

The Aloha International Piano Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of The Atherton Foundation, the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu, and the Music Teachers National Association Foundation.