Student Achievements

2025-26 Academic Year:

    Composition Competitions:

  • 7-State North-Central Regional Composing Contest, 1st Place, Group 1 (age 9 and younger), NFMC (Anna T.)
  • State Composing Contest, 1st Place, Group 1 (age 9 and younger), IFMC (Anna T.)
  • Composing Contest, 2nd Place, Group 1 (age 9 and younger), SFMC (Anna T.)

    Concerto Competitions:

  • Concerto Soloist with UIS Orchestra, UIS Music Solo Competition, 1st Place, Senior Division (Ruoshui C.)
  • Concerto Soloist with ISYO teacher ensemble, ISYO Music Solo Competition, 2nd Place (Raymond C.)
  • State Concerto Contest (Advanced), 1st Place, IFMC (Ruoshui C.)
  • UIS Music Solo (concerto) Competition, Runner Up, Junior Division (Raymond C.)

    Solo Competitions:

  • State Solo Contest (Advanced), 1st Place, IFMC (Ruoshui C.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, 1st Place, Junior Division (grades 7-9), ISMTA South (Raymond C.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, 1st Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Charlotte Z.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, 3rd Place, Elementary Division (grades 4-6), ISMTA South (Cadence L.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, Brenda Conroy Memorial Special Prize, Elementary Division (grades 4-6), ISMTA South (Garrett C.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, Honorable Mention, Senior Division (grades 10-12), ISMTA South (Ruoshui C.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, Honorable Mention, Elementary Division (grades 4-6), ISMTA South (Garrett C.)

    Scholarships:

  • Golden Lyre Summer Camp Scholarship, Senior Division (Ruoshui C.)
  • IL Symphony Guild Auditions, Scholarship, Junior Division, 2nd place (Raymond C.)
  • Senior Music Scholarship, DAMTA (Ruoshui C.)
  • Junior Music Scholarship, DAMTA (Raymond C.)
  • Golden Lyre Summer Camp Scholarship alternate, Junior Division (Raymond C.)

    Exams and Festivals:

  • Top-level AIM (Achievement In Music) pre-college exams (ISMTA) passed “With Distinction” at age 14-15 (Ruoshui C.),
  • 99% scores received for 4 of the 5 entries at the Federation Festival – in Piano Solo and Senior Piano Concerto (NFMC/SFMC)
  • 98% average score earned by the 7 students taking the AIM (Achievement in Music) Performance/Technique Exams (ISMTA). ALL passed “With Distinction”, 6 above their school grade level.
  • 5 “With Distinction” ratings received at the AIM (Achievement in Music) Theory/Musicianship Exams (ISMTA), 6 of the 7 students entered above their school grade level.
  • “Judge Favorite” VILMTA (ISMTA) eFestival performance (Raymond C.)

2024-25 Academic Year:

    Concerto Competitions: 

  • State Piano Duet Competition, 1st Place, Elementary Division (grades 4-6), ISMTA South (Cadence L. & Lillian S.)
  • State Piano Duet Competition, 2nd Place, Junior Division (grades 7-9), ISMTA South (Ruoshui C. & Lu D.)

    Solo Competitions:

  • State Piano Solo Competition, 1st Place, Elementary Division (grades 4-6), ISMTA South (Raymond C.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, 1st Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Garrett C.)
  • State Solo Contest (Advanced), 2nd Place, IFMC (Ruoshui C.)
  • State Piano Solo Competition, 3rd Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Serena L.)
  • Chambana International Music Competition, 1st Place, Division 5 (ages 13-15) (Ruoshui C.)
  • Chambana International Music Competition, 1st Place, Division 4 (ages 11-12) (Raymond C.)
  • Chambana International Music Competition, 2nd Place, Division 3 (ages 9-10) (Garrett C.)
  • Chambana International Music Competition, 2nd Place, Division 2 (ages 7-8) (Charlotte Z.)
  • Millikin University Piano Camp Competition, Honorable Mention (Ruoshui C.)
  • Talent Among Us Music Competition, Jacksonville Symphony Society, Finalist, Senior Youth Division (Ruoshui C.)
  • Talent Among Us Music Competition, Jacksonville Symphony Society, Finalist, Intermediate Youth Division (Raymond C.)

    Scholarships:

  • Jean Vitale Scholarship, SFMC (Ruoshui C.)
  • Senior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Ruoshui C.)
  • Senior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Lu D.)

    Exams and Festivals:

  • 7 students excelled at the ISMTA Achievement in Music (AIM) Exams–several above their school grade level,–and another student completed the level 8 Theory Exam.

2023-24 Academic Year:

    Concerto Competitions:

  • Concerto Soloist with UIS Orchestra, UIS Music Solo Competition, 1st Place, Junior Division (Ruoshui C.)

    Solo Competitions:    

  • State Piano Competition, 2nd Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Garrett C.)
  • State Piano Competition, 3rd Place, Junior Division (grades 7-9), ISMTA South (Ruoshui C.)
  • World Master Open Music Competition, Concerto category, Platinum Prize & Excellent Technique Special Award (Ruoshui C.)
  • World Master Open Music Competition, Youth category, Diamond Prize (Ruoshui C.)

    Scholarships:  

  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Raymond C.)

    Exams:  

  • 7 students excelled at the ISMTA Achievement in Music (AIM) Exams.

2022-23 Academic Year:

  • State Piano Competition, 1st Place, Senior Division (grades 10-12), ISMTA South (Grace K.)
  • State Solo Contest (Advanced), 3rd Place, IFMC (Grace K.)
  • Golden Lyre Summer Camp Scholarship, Junior Division (Lu D.)
  • Junior Camp Scholarship, DAMTA (Ruoshui C.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Ruoshui C.)

2021-22 Academic Year:

  • State Solo Contest (Advanced), 2nd Place IFMC (Grace K.)
  • Jean Vitale Memorial Scholarship (Grace K.)
  • Golden Lyre Summer Camp Scholarship, Senior Division (Grace K.)
  • Junior Camp Scholarship, DAMTA (Lu D.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Lu D.)

2020-21 Academic Year:

  • State Solo Contest  (Advanced), 2nd Place, IFMC (Grace K.)
  • Golden Lyre Summer Camp Scholarship, Junior Division (Mark M.)
  • Senior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Mark M.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Daniel D.)
  • Junior Camp Scholarship, DAMTA (Daniel D.)

2019-20 Academic Year:

  • State Piano Competition, 1st Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Anh N.)
  • State Piano Competition, 2nd Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Gavin R.)
  • Senior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Grace K.)
  • Junior Camp Scholarship, DAMTA (Mason H.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Mason H.)

2018-19 Academic Year:

  • State Piano Competition, 2nd Place, Primary Division (grades 1-3), ISMTA South (Anh N.)
  • Golden Lyre Summer Camp Scholarship, Junior Division (Grace K.)
  • Junior Camp Scholarship, DAMTA (Mark M.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, SFMC (Mark M.)
  • Jean Vitale Memorial Scholarship, Alternate (Kathryn C.)

2017-18 Academic Year:

  • Chambana Piano Competition, 2nd place, Ages 6 & under, Champaign-Urbana (Anh N.)
  • Chambana Piano Competition, Honorable Mention, Ages 7-8, Champaign-Urbana (Daniel D.)
  • Scholarships to pursue a B. M. in Music Education degree at Millikin U. and EIU–both choral and instrumental, with piano emphasis (Carrie O.)

2016-17 Academic Year:

  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, 3rd place, ISMTA (Gino M.)
  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, 3rd place, ISMTA (Alexandra O.)
  • Senior Music Camp Scholarship, Morning Etude (Carrie O.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, Morning Etude (Kathryn C.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, Morning Etude (Grace K.)

2015-16 Academic Year:

  • State Solo Contest (Advanced), 2nd Place, IFMC (Yiyi M.)
  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, 2nd place, ISMTA (Grace K.)
  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, 3rd place, ISMTA (Alexandra O.)
  • Jennings Music Scholarship, Illinois Wesleyan University (Yiyi M.)
  • Shirley Ecklund Memorial Scholarship, IL Symphony Guild (Yiyi M.)
  • Jean Vitale Memorial Scholarship (Carrie O.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, Morning Etude (Mya M.)

2014-15 Academic Year:

  • State Solo Contest (Advanced), 3rd Place, IFMC (Yiyi M.)
  • Senior Music Camp Scholarship, Morning Etude (Yiyi M.)
  • Junior Music Camp Scholarship, Morning Etude (Carrie O.)

2013-14 Academic Year:

  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, Honorable Mention, ISMTA (Mya M.)

2012-13 Academic Year:

  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, 2nd place, ISMTA (Mya M.)
  • Jean Vitale Memorial Scholarship (Yiyi M.)

2010-11 Academic Year:

  • Accepted to pursue the B. M. degree in Piano Pedagogy at Utah State University (Lisa R.)
  • Best of the Day, Sangamon High School Music Association (Lisa R.)

2009-10 Academic Year:

  • Debut Recital (age 11)
  • IL East District Piano Competition, Elementary Division, Selected for The Best of the Best recital, ISMTA (Ann G.)
  • Full, renewable scholarship for the B. M. in Piano Performance program at WIU (Thomas O., LLCC)

2006-07 Academic Year:

  • WUIS Young Musician Competition winner (Thomas O.)
  • Accepted into pursue the B. M. degree in Piano Performance at Wheaton College (Cora E., LLCC)

2005-06 Academic Year:

  • Music scholarship to pursue the B. M. degree in Piano Performance at SIU-Carbondale (Peder S.)
  • Senior scholarship, IL Symphony Guild (Peder S.)