Prize winners of the Bart Pitman Memorial Scholarship Award

Jasmine Meyer of Chester, New Jersey, winner of the 2021 Bart Pitman Memorial Scholarship Award, has found a lifelong companion in piano, which she has been playing since age 5. Under the tutelage of Dr. Julia Lam, Jasmine was the Eastern Division Winner and State Winner in the Music Teachers' National Association Piano Competition in 2019 and 2020.   Her accomplishments in classical piano performance included First-Place finishes in piano competitions organized by New Jersey Music Teachers Association, Music Educators Association.  She was named twice as Student of the Month by Mayo Performing Art Center, New Jersey.  She also enjoys singing, accompanying a multitude of school ensembles, and is the First Flutist in the school wind ensemble. Jasmine plans to combine her interests in technology and music by studying towards a dual degree in Computer Science and Piano Performance at Northwestern University in Fall 2021.

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Berithen (Beri) Chung, second prize winner from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a former student of Mrs. Lena Solaiman since age 6 for 7 years. Since 2019, he has been studying piano under Dr. Dolly Krasnopolsky at Settlement Music School. He is a 2020-2021 Settlement Music School Scholarship recipient. He has participated in the Dorothy Sutton Music Festival in 2014 as well as numerous performances and recitals at Settlement Music school. He has received the “Superior” rating in 2019 at the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) Fine Arts Festival. Beri is an active member of the school concert band, jazz ensemble, choir, as well as a piano trio. His passion for classical music has grown during his high school years. After graduating from Phil-Mont Christian Academy this year, he will attend the Eastman School of Music, where he will pursue a degree in Music Education this fall. Beri likes to explore various instruments and enjoys music composition. His hobbies include chess, Rubik's Cube, fine arts, and playing with his pet rabbit Cinnamon.

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Prize winner of the Buck's County Symphony's Youth Concerto Competition

Matthew Chung is a 9th grade student at Methacton High School. He has been a cello student of Hsiao Ming Chen for 10 years. He attends Community Music School, where he is a recipient of a merit scholarship.

In 2021, Matthew won the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Concerto Competition and performed as a featured soloist. He was also the 1st place winner in Tri-County Concerts’ 2021 Youth Festival in Junior Strings. Matthew was named the PA state alternate at the MTNA Competition in Junior Strings. He also recently won 1st place for the state level in the Opus Competition, as well as Crescendo International Competition, where he performed in a winners’ concert at Carnegie Hall. Matthew was the 2nd place winner in Philadelphia International Music Festival’s Concerto Competition in the summer of 2021. In 2019, as part of the Eridanus Trio, he won 2nd place in Tri-County’s Festival in Junior Ensemble. His trio performed at one of Pennsylvania Philharmonic’s concerts. Matthew attends Center for Gifted Young Musicians (CGYM) of Temple Music Prep where he has participated in two masterclasses with Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Priscilla Lee. He also was in a masterclass with Jeffrey Solow at Community Music School. Matthew placed 2nd chair in PMEA District 11 Orchestra this year.

Matthew is a distinguished honor roll student. He was a member of National Junior Honor Society and the Math Counts team. He enjoys playing soccer on his travel team and his high school JV team.

 

HONORABLE MENTION WINNER

Daniel Loza, from Paoli, PA, started his cello career in 2016 at age 8 and has studied cello under Jennifer Jie Jin since 2017. In 2021, Daniel passed with Distinction the ABRSM Music Grade 8 Performance Exam. He has been a member of Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute ensembles since 2017, performing at the Kimmel Center, and is currently Associate Principal Cello in his first year in the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra. Daniel has received honors at various Music Teacher Association events, including performing at Winners Concert for multiple Dr. Andor Kiszely PhMTA competitions and receiving honorable mentions at the PMTA Chamber Music Competition and MTNA PA state audition in 2020. In 2019 he received 1st place honors for the Crescendo International ‘Little Mozarts’ Competition, playing at Carnegie Hall. Outside of music, Daniel enjoys biking and computer programming.