Forest Benson, from Vancouver, Canada, started his training in 2013 under Janet Bulani. He further pursued his training at the Vancouver Academy of Music and currently studies with Bogdan Dulu in the Performance Prep program at the VSO. He has made numerous appearances in solo and chamber music recitals across British Columbia, including as soloist in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra in 2023. He appeared at the Domaine Forget de Charlevoix International Music Festival in 2024 and 2025. He won first prize at the Kay Meek Scholarship Concerto Competition (2025), Vancouver International Music Competition (2023), and Pacific International Youth Music Festival Gala (2023).

Huiping Cai is a Chinese pianist praised for her “dignified and mature approach” (Third Coast Review). A prizewinner in numerous international piano competitions, she most recently won First Prize and the Audience Award at the 2023 New York Franz Liszt International Piano Competition. Cai has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. She made her orchestral soloist debut at the age of fifteen with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Cai made her Carnegie Hall debut at Stern Auditorium, performing Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Her solo performances have been broadcast on major classical radio stations, including WRTI Philadelphia and WFMT Chicago. Cai is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts at the Eastman School of Music, where she has served as a Teaching Assistant for Alan Chow. In fall 2024, Cai joined the Hochstein School of Music and Dance as a piano faculty member and also maintains a studio at the Eastman Community Music School.

Celine Chen, 22, hails from Valencia, California. In her fourth year at the University of Southern California, she studies piano with Bernadene Blaha and flute with Catherine Karoly. Celine received prizes and distinctions at the Yamaha Young Artists Competition, the Rubato International Piano Competition, the Celia Mendez Young Pianists’ Beethoven Competition, and the Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition. As chamber musician, Celine and her piano trio have won prizes at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music Chamber Music Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition; they have toured several European cities including Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. She shares her passion for music through her work with the Back to Bach Project, where she serves as Director of Global Operations in programs providing music and arts education to the next generation. At USC, Celine also works at the Brain and Creativity Institute, exploring the relationship between music and the brain.

Kayden Kelly, 19, originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the first-place Senior Division winner of the inaugural Nina Simon Competition, a 2023 Junior Cliburn Festival Artist, a 2025 YoungArts Winner, and a Concert Artist Guild Finalist. He began playing piano at age five and made his recital debut at age 11 at the National Theater of Costa Rica for the Costa Rican Vice President. Kayden has performed three times at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, and played with orchestras at the Cincinnati Music Hall with Maestro Louis Langreé, Vanemuise Concert Hall in Estonia, and the Berlin Admiralspalast in Germany. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Latin America including solo piano programs recently for the New Mexico Museum Foundation Donors Circle, Color of Music Festival in Charleston, and at the Salon de Virtuosi in New York. Kayden has been interviewed and performed including NPR From the Top and Young Artists Showcase on WQXR New York. He recently graduated from the Colburn School’s pre-college academy in Los Angeles where he studied with Fabio Bidini, Hyejin Kim, and Rodolfo Leone, and composition with Dr.Michaela Eramiasova. He is currently studying at Columbia University in NYC.

Curtis Li is a fourth-year pianist at the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with Kathryn Brown. He began formal studies at the age of six under the tutelage of Peyhwan Kuan. Recent competition accolades include top prizes at the Brevard Piano Competition, the Pacific Musical Society Competition, James Ramos International Video Competition, and King’s Peak International Music Competition. Curtis has also worked with artists such as Alexander Korsantia, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Daniel Shapiro, Matti Raekallio, Wu Han, Norman Krieger, Arie Vardi, and Julian Martin. He has attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Brevard Piano Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival and School. At Aspen, Curtis performed multiple times in Harris Concert Hall for the Overtures series, as well as for a performance of Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.

Elsie Li is currently pursuing her bachelor of music at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Soyeon Kate Lee, having previously studied with Sasha Starcevich and Rada Bukhman. Elsie has performed with orchestras including the Bellevue Symphony, Bruensis Virtuosi, Orchestra of MusicFest Perugia, and Philharmonia Northwest, appearing in venues from Weill Recital Hall to Van Cliburn Concert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Playhouse, Seattle Town Hall, and Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. She has received top prizes in competitions such as the Canadian Music Competition, Canada West Performing Arts Festival, Steinway Canada Young Artist Competition, 6th NW International Piano Ensemble Competition, Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, Chicago International Music Competition, and 50th SYAMFA concerto competition. In 2025, she had the opportunity to work closely with acclaimed composer Meredith Monk, which culminated in a performance at Zankel Hall.

Richard Francis Martin is a student at La Salle College High School, where he studies with Ms. Michelle Cann. He was a winner at the 2025 Texas State International Piano Festival Concerto Competition, and earned first prize at the West Chester University Pre-Collegiate Piano Competition. In 2024, Francis won second prize at the 2024 Florida Young Artists' International Piano Competition, and multiple honors in the prestigious Music Teachers National Association competitions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Francis is also a 2026 YoungArts Jazz winner. He attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Piano Program, the Vivace International Piano Festival, and Interlochen Summer Arts Program. His summer musical education began early with the Kinhaven Summer Camp Junior Piano program in Vermont. Francis has demonstrated compositional talent with his original work Landscapes, which earned recognition in multiple competitions.

Haolun Sun is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the New England Conservatory, under the guidance of Alexander Korsantia and Pavel Nersessian. Prior to his studies in the United States, he graduated from the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Prof. Zhe Tang. He has received numerous prizes, including Second Prize at the 2025 Hartford Chopin International Piano Competition, First Prize at the 2023 Jinjiang International Piano Competition for Youth, and Second Prize at the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, where he also received special prizes for Best Sonata Performance and Best Etude Performance. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow State Academic Symphony Orchestra, and the Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra. His performances have been broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) and other major Chinese television networks. He has performed in many countries, including China, the United States, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Russia, and Japan.

Brianna Tang is a concert pianist, educator, and multidisciplinary artist currently pursuing her Doctorate of Musical Arts under Gilbert Kalish at Stony Brook University. She was selected as a Young Artist for the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival, as well as Pianofest in the Hamptons for four seasons. Brianna is currently on faculty at the Third Street Music School and Summertrios Festival. She graduated summa cum laude from Stony Brook University studying with Dr. Pablo Lavandera and Gilbert Kalish. As the winner of the 2018 Stony Brook University Undergraduate Concerto Competition, Brianna performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. While pursuing her Master of Arts Degree at the Royal Academy of Music, Brianna received a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music and was part of the Royal Academy of Music Chamber Ensemble which premiered a children’s opera, Daylighting, by Louise Drewett. In June 2025, Brianna performed at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Summer Solstice Celebration with the Metropolis Ensemble. She has collaborated with visual artists and curated a brunch series in collaboration with the Southampton Inn, Brunch with Brianna, championing the music of Cécile Chaminade.

Gloriana Wolf is a Minneapolis native, who embarked on her intensive pre-college studies under the artistic guidance of Dr. Joseph Zins. She earned her Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied with Anton Nel and her graduate degrees under Sharon Mann at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Currently, she is working towards her Artist Diploma at the Glenn Gould School of Music with James Anagnoson and Li Wang. Other important mentors include Cindy Malmin, Paul Wirth, Patti Wolf and Lydia Artymiw. She attended the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Texas State International Piano Festival, the Maine Chamber Music Seminar, and the Josef Gingold Chamber Music Festival in Miami, where she performed chamber music alongside Arturo Delmoni. Gloriana won First Prizes in the Nilsson Undergraduate Solo Piano Competition and the Sidney Wright Accompanying Competition at the University of Texas, and most recently, Second Prize in the GGS Chamber Competition as Duo Callisto with her dear friend Chelsea Ahn. She has performed Chopin’s F Minor concerto with the New Orleans Civic Symphony and has appeared as guest artist with the Artaria String Quartet. In the upcoming spring season, Gloriana will perform with Duo Callisto, in the finals of the MTNA Piano Duo Competition in Chicago. In her spare time, Gloriana loves running, Latin dancing, Nordic skiing, and basking in sunshine.

Samantha Wuo, 19, has been studying piano since the age of 5. She attends the Eastman School of Music, where she studies with Dr. Marina Lomazov. She has been inducted into the Music Teachers’ Association of California’s Young Artist Guild, was selected for the Southeastern Piano Festival and Vivace Music Festivals. Samantha received first prizes in the CAPMT Honors Competition, Radda Rise International Piano Competition, Pacific Musical Society Competition, and KAMSA Competition. She was also a winner of the Golden State Youth Orchestra Piano Concerto Competition, and has received top prizes from the MTNA Competition, the United States International Music Competition, the Spotlight International Music Competition, the United States International New Star Piano Competition and the ENKOR International Music Competition. Aside from her solo studies, Samantha loves playing chamber music. Samantha is a pianist in the Juventus Piano Trio, which received first prizes in the United States Open Music Competition and the Great Composers Instrumental Ensemble Competition, and in the California State VOCE Competition. In her free time, Samantha likes speedcubing, learning about chemistry, hanging out with friends, folding origami, and eating cookies.