Also, this past year (2016), two of my talented students, Dennis and Alicia Chu, entered the Piano Teachers’ Society of America competition, were winners in their respective Solo Piano categories, and were chosen to perform in Carnegie Hall.  The “Before” picture on the left shows them standing outside, awaiting their “Carnegie Hall Debut.”  In the “After” picture on the right there are happy smiles all around!          

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                     AlicIa and Dennis Chu, BEFORE                        Dennis, Mitzi DeWhitt, Alicia, and Parents, AFTER                                             

 

The event was reported in the Wilmington News Journal, and reprinted in the September DSMTA Newsletter.

 

On Sunday May 29th Alicia and Dennis Chu, residents of Newark, were two of forty other young pianists from around the country to play the stage at Carnegie Hall as part of a 36th anniversary concert of the Piano Teachers’ Society of America. The two were chosen from a large number of applicants after auditioning for a panel of judges.  Alicia, age 9, a fourth grader at North Star Elementary School, performed Debussy’s First Arabesque.  Dennis, age 13, who attends H.B. du Pont Middle School, played Dance of the Water Grass, a Chinese classical piece made famous in the West by Lang Lang. The two study piano with Mitzi DeWhitt of Hockessin.

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Alicia went on to win First Prize in the Debussy portion, Age Group II Category, of the Great Composers Competition.