ZARIN MEHTA

COUNTRY – United States

AGE – 15

HOST FAMILY – Victoria Holdren

Zarin Mehta is a 10th grader at Francis Parker School in Chicago, Illinois. He has been studying piano for 11 years and currently is coached by Winston Choi and Jeff Panko of the New Music School. Previously he worked with Mary Sauer. Zarin studies composition under Matthew Hagle of the Music Institute of Chicago. He has also studied privately with Antonio Pompa-Baldi of the Cleveland Music Institute and with Steven Osborne of the Royal Academy of Music. He has participated in master classes with Emanuel Ax, Jorge Osorio, Melvin Chen and Yoshi Nagai.

Zarin has performed with the Chicago Arts Orchestra twice under conductors Vladimir Kulenovic and Conner Gray Covington. He has also appeared in performances with WFMT Classical Radio, the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Grant Park in Chicago, Orchestra Hall, Quigley Chapel, and the Logan Center for the Arts.

Zarin has been a prize winner and honoree in many competitions, most recently the International Young Artist Concerto Competition, Nashville Symphony Curb Concerto Competition, Rembrandt Young Artist Chamber Competition, Chicago National Chamber Music Competition, and the MTNA Alfred Music Composition Competition.

Zarin works with the student leadership council for the Latika Roy Foundation, an organization that supports students with disabilities in India, where he creates music content for education and enjoyment.

Outside of music, Zarin participates on the school robotics team and astrophysics club, and he plays for the Chicago Romans varsity ice hockey team.

ROUND I

Repertoire

Bach Prelude and Fugue No. 17 in A-flat Major, BWV 886/WTC II

Chopin Nocturne in F-sharp minor, Op. 48, No. 2

Scriabin Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, Op. 30

ROUND II

Mozart Sonata No. 9 in D Major, K. 311

Liszt Transcendental Etude No. 8 in C minor, Wilde Jagd, S. 139

Vine Sonata No. 1, Mvt. 1

ROUND III

Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18

Takuma Onodera

COUNTRY – Japan

AGE – 17

HOST FAMILY – Susan and John McClave

Born in Sapporo, Japan, Takuma Onodera started his musical education at the age of five. By age ten, he had won numerous awards including seven first prizes in several Japanese competitions: the Steinway Competition, the Imora International Piano Audition, and five Gold Medals in the Junior Mainichi Competition.

Takuma has participated in numerous competitions in Japan, in Europe (Italy, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom), in Russia and in the United States at which he won a variety of prizes. These include awards at Città di Imola (Italy), The Vladimir Krainev International Piano Competition (Moscow), and the San Jose International Piano Competition in California, among others. His most recent awards include the Gold Medal at the Manhattan International Music Competition in New York, first prize at the Windsor International Piano Competition in England (Category B), the Gold Award at the Conero International Piano Competition & Festival in Italy (Young Artist group), and fifth prize at the International Walled City Online Music Competition.

He has performed in Carnegie Hall, Yamaha Hall and Nagoya Yamaha Hall. In 2022, Takuma gave 13 recitals around Japan, including in Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, and Fukuoka.

Takuma has released two CD’s: “Appassionato” on the KNS Classical label (2021) and “Start!” (Octavia Records, 2022).

Takuma’s high school is designated as a Super Science High School, where he is studying environmental topics such as biodegradable plastics.

ROUND I

Repertoire

Haydn Sonata No. 47 in B minor, Hob. XVI/32

Scarlatti Sonata in D minor, K. 141/L. 422

Ravel Gaspard de la nuit: III. Scarbo in G-sharp minor, M. 55 Gubaidulina Invention

ROUND II

Balakirev Islamey, Op. 18

Liszt En rėve, Nocturne, S. 207

Wagner/Liszt Overtüre zu Tannhäuser, S. 442

ROUND III

Prokofiev Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26