SMTA presented another successful Simon-Fiset Piano Competition February 10 and 11. The event was hosted again this year by Seattle Chamber Music Society Center in their beautiful downtown Center for Chamber Music. Seattle Chamber Music Society and Classic Pianos in Bellevue co-sponsored the event.

Thank you to both our wonderful supporting organizations and sponsors!

Thirteen local instructors registered approximately fifty young pianists from around the Seattle and Puget Sound region. Special shout out to all the wonderful students, teachers, families, and SMTA volunteers! We could not do this without you.

SMTA volunteers at this year’s event were:

Ericka Thielke NCTM, Joan Schoepflin NCTM, Suzanne Grant, Josie Zocco, Ann Simonson, Eliza Vysotsky, and Pam Chang! Thank you all for helping to make this another great S-F Piano event.

Our 2024 adjudicators, Professors Rufus Choi and Kenneth Christensen, continued the ongoing lament of past adjudicators noting the talent and level of playing made the deliberations and decisions very difficult!

Congratulations to students and teachers! We hope to see you again next year!

Final Results – Simon-Fiset Piano 2024

DIVISION I (through Age 7) PERFORMER INSTRUCTOR(S)

First Place Charlotte Wu Ni Liu

Second Place Rose Huang Ni Liu

Third Place Athena Li Peter Mack NCTM

Honorable Mention Blake Kang Ya Liu

Honorable Mention Riley Shen Ni Liu

Adjudicators’ Choice – Performance of a Baroque Period Composition

Maxine Huang Joan Schoepflin NCTM

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance by a First-Time Simon-Fiset Piano Participant

Cassandra Mae-Ramos Peter Mack NCTM/Marissa Rebadulla-Ramos

Dorothy Woodcock Recognition Award

Julien Wang Ni Liu

Emma K.S. Loo Recognition Award

Brielle Liu Joan Schoepflin NCTM

DIVISION II (Ages 8 - 9) PERFORMER INSTRUCTOR(S)

First Place Amelia Fu Ni Liu

Second Place Grace Lin Ni Liu

Third Place Not Awarded

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance of a Baroque Period Composition

Kandice Chen Ni Liu

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance by a First-Time Simon-Fiset Piano Participant

Yiten Kueh Ni Liu

Dorothy Woodcock Recognition Award

Landon Wang Peter Mack NCTM

Emma K.S. Loo Recognition Award

Celine Huang Ni Liu

DIVISION III (Ages 10 - 11) PERFORMER INSTRUCTOR(S)

First Place Yiling Sun Yelena Balabanova NCTM

Second Place Dana Wang Ni Liu

Third Place Nicole Wang Peter Mack NCTM

Honorable Mention Charlotte Li Lena Jiang

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance of a Baroque Period Composition

Not Awarded

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance by a First-Time Simon-Fiset Piano Participant

Konstantinos Starkie Luke Raffanti

Dorothy Woodcock Recognition Award

Ian Fung Ni Liu

Emma K.S. Loo Recognition Award

Melini Sehn Thom Stuart

DIVISION IV (Ages 12 - 13) PERFORMER INSTRUCTOR(S)

First Place Joyce Ye Yelena Balabanova NCTM

Second Place Arabelle Grote Ni Liu/Peter Mack NCTM

Third Place Stephanie Cheng Ni Liu

Honorable Mention Claire Huang Michelle Huang NCTM

Honorable Mention Isla Oh Elizaveta Vysotsky

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance of a Baroque Period Composition

Jonathan Xie Ni Liu

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance by a First-Time Simon-Fiset Piano Participant

Derek Fei Joan Schoepflin NCTM

Dorothy Woodcock Recognition Award

Louis Liang Joan Schoepflin NCTM

Emma K.S. Loo Recognition Award

Paolo Moreni Joan Schoepflin NCTM

DIVISION V (Ages 14 - 16) PERFORMER INSTRUCTOR(S)

First Place Emily Qi Peter Mack NCTM

Second Place Nicholas Grote Ni Liu/Peter Mack NCTM

Third Place Paloma Oh Elizaveta Vysotsky

Honorable Mention Hadassah Ho Peter Mack NCTM

Honorable Mention Amber Peng Joan Schoepflin NCTM

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance of a Baroque Period Composition

Bernice Liu Thom Stuart

Adjudicators’ Choice - Performance by a First-Time Simon-Fiset Piano Participant

Hongchen Duan Ni Liu

Dorothy Woodcock Recognition Award

William Wang Peter Mack NCTM

Emma K.S. Loo Recognition Award

Phil Yao Ni Liu

DIVISION VI (Ages 17 - 18) PERFORMER INSTRUCTOR(S)

First Place Freya Frahm Erin Chung

Second Place Estelle Kim Joan Schoepflin NCTM

Third Place Not Awarded

In addition, the following young musicians (required to be students of current SMTA members) were selected by our adjudicators to represent SMTA as honors recitalists and alternates at the WSMTA State Convention in June.

RECITALISTS INSTRUCTOR(S)

Emily Qi Peter Mack NCTM

Nicholas Grote Ni Liu/Peter Mack NCTM

Paloma Oh Elizaveta Vysotsky

ALTERNATES INSTRUCTOR(S)

Joyce Ye Yelena Balabanova NCTM

Freya Frahm Erin Chung

Estelle Kim Joan Schoepflin NCTM

Again, congratulations to all! Thank you for helping to make this year’s Simon-Fiset Piano Competition a huge success. We look forward to seeing you again in 2025.