2022 Trinity International Music Competition
Winners' Biography
Winners' Biography
DIANA SCHNÜRPEL - Platinum Medalist - Soprano (Germany)
The Russian-born German coloratura soprano Diana Schnürpel was given 1st Prize at the Canadian International Music Competition in 2022. The same year, she received the Absolute Platinum and Grand Champion Award at the Quebec Music Competition for Voice. Diana was scheduled to sing in 2021 the role of Ariel in Ades' Tempest and Fiakermilli in Strauss's opera Arabella at the Meininger Staatstheater (both postponed due to COVID). In 2021, Diana won an esteemed scholarship from the Thuringia Cultural Foundation. Mrs. Schnürpel was the winner of the Quebec Music Competition and Grand Champion of the 2021 Quebec Music Competition for Voice. She won 2nd prize in the Ensemble of the King's Peak International Music Competition, as well as the 1st prize of the MAP International Music Competition.
From 2016 to 2021, Diana was a fest ensemble singer at the Lucerne Theater. There she sang Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, the parts of Venus and Gepopo in Le Grande Macabre by G. Ligeti, Euredice in Orfeo ed Euridice by C. W. Gluck, Maria Stuarda in Maria Stuarda by G. Donizetti, the role of Cunning Little Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia by G. Rossini. She also sang the final concert "Beauty of farewell" of the festival "Musiksommer am Zürichsee" under the direction of Manuel Baertsch in 2020.
The Queen of the Night has been a signature role she has sung at the State Theater Braunschweig, Landestheater Detmold, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, Landestheater Salzburg, Graz Opera, Bern Theater, and the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar. Diana performed the Snow Queen in The Snow Queen by G.A. Albrecht in 2015 at the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar. She took lessons from the Wagner tenor Manfred Jung before performing solo concertos with Paul Hindemith's "Das Marienleben" made its debut in Berlin, Bavaria and Frankfurt am Main.
Mrs. Schnürpel is also active as a recital and concert singer. Her concert repertoire includes works by J. S. Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel, Mozart and Antonio Salieri. She gained experience as a guest in the MDR Radio Choir and at the Deutsches National Theater and sang the part of the bride in Les Noces by Igor Stravinsky at the Ruhr Piano Festival in July 2013. She started her concert activities in 2012 in Bavaria with The Marienleben by Paul Hindemith and church concerts in Ludwigsburg with the setting of Antonín Dvořák's Stabat mater. She also sang in one Chamber music matinee of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra with nursery rhymes in the 1st version by Leoš Janáček and songs by Richard Strauss and Othmar Schoeck in 2017. In 2012 she was a finalist by the Grandi Voci opera singing competition in Salzburg. She received the 3rd prize at the VII.National and II International Jószef Simándy Singing Competition 2011 in Szeged, Hungary. And in 2010 was a finalist at the Lortzing Competition in Leipzig.
From 2006 to 2010 she studied singing at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig under Prof. Regina Werner Dietrich. She was in 2004 and 2005 a Vocal répétiteur at the Choral Art Academy in Moscow. She gave piano solo concerts at the Choral Art Academy. Diana attended the children's music school in Lipetsk piano and singing lessons before starting her studies at the Technical School of Music and Art graduated in piano with honors in 2001.
Oleg Pokhanovski - Platinum Medalist - Professional Category - violinist, pianist, arranger - (Canada)
International multi-award winning violinist Oleg Pokhanovski has performed in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Israel and Russia, giving over 2000 concerts in total. He has been presented in the Carnegie Recital Hall, the Grand Hall in Moscow, the
Concertgebouw, Knight Hall in Prague, Place des Arts in Montréal and others. His
concerts brought rave reviews claiming him “Russian Paganini” and describing his
playing as “brilliant”, “phenomenal”, “outstanding”, and “extraordinary”.
Pokhanovski is also in much demand as a pedagogue and presently holds the
position of Professor of Violin at the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music at the
University of Manitoba. Dr. Pokhanovski is also a professional pianist and a creative arranger. He made over 200 transcriptions for violin and piano and other
instruments: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/oleg-pokhanovski-
sheet-music/3017043?ac=1 Oleg Pokhanovski can be heard on three released CDs,
entitled Solo Violin, The Mirror Image, and La Valse.
“Pokhanovski’s high-energy performances are characterized by an unmistakeably
genuine passion for the music. Urgent, serious and heartfelt – all words that aptly describe Oleg Pokhanovski’s playing” (Gwenda Nemerofsky, Winnipeg Free Press.)
Jessica MacBrayne - Platinum Medalist - Collegiate Category - Harp (New Zealand)
Jessica MacBrayne was born and lives in Nelson, New Zealand. She is 18 years old and has just completed her final year of high school. She has wanted to play the harp ever since she was little but was not able to start learning until very recently. She began learning the pedal harp with teacher Helen Webby via Zoom lessons online in January of 2022.
In her first seven months of studying the pedal harp she was the winner of the Grade 8 division of the 2022 New Zealand Harp Performance Competition, was accepted to study a Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance) on the pedal harp at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) starting in 2023 and was also awarded an NZSM Director’s Award: “These awards are only offered to students whom we consider to have exceptional talent.” She has also taken NCEA Scholarship Music Performance on the harp.
She is very honored to have won a Platinum Award in the 2022 Trinity International Music Competition (Collegiate Category) in such a short time of studying the pedal harp.
Results gained in other competitions for solo harp performance include a Platinum Award (Young Artists Category) in the 2022-2023 Canadian International Music Competition, as well as four Gold Awards in the 2022-2023 London Young Musician Competition in multiple categories.
In addition to playing the harp, she has also learnt to play the flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, and piano. She enjoys playing in all kinds of musical groups such as symphonic orchestras, string orchestra, concert bands, harp orchestra, string quartet, woodwind quintet and choirs. A particular highlight of her ensemble playing in 2022 was playing in the Musicworks Ensemble Festival Aotearoa where the concert bands she played in were awarded Platinum and Gold awards.
In musical examinations she has achieved Grade 8 Oboe with Distinction, Grade 8 Piano with Merit and Grade 8 Theory of Music with Merit.
She is looking forward to being part of the New Zealand School of Music in 2023 and all the new and exciting opportunities there will be.
Anna Li - Platinum Medalist - Junior Performance (Solo) - Violin - China
Anna Li, 11 year old, currently a year-7student at the Chinese International School (CIS) in Hong Kong. She has studied violin under Ms.San Yuen-Yum and Mr. Jeremy Williams since four years old and has become a very talented young violinist. She is a member of Hong Kong Camerata Strings and CIS Symphony. Training systematically and rigorously on a daily basis, she has won many awards at international competitions with invitation to perform at concerts overseas, including but not limited to, Gold Prize and Fantastic Technique Special Prize in London Young Musician International Classic Music Competition in 2022; Second Place in the 2nd PREMIA International Young Artists Music Festival with invitation to perform in the Prizewinners Gala Concert in the Weill Recital hall at Carnegie Hall New York in July 2023; First prize; Exceptional Young Talent Special Award in Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, 2020, with invitation to perform at Wiener Saal der Stiftung Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria; First Prize in Hong Kong region, 21st Osaka International Music Competition and with invitation to represent Hong Kong to attend the final competition held in Osaka in 2021. Besides music, Anna is also a lover of sports. She is a Black Belt and has won many awards in
Taikwondo. She is an avid skier and has been skiing since 4 years old.
Anna Li, 11 year old, currently a year-7student at the Chinese International School (CIS) in Hong Kong. She has studied violin under Ms.San Yuen-Yum and Mr. Jeremy Williams since four years old and has become a very talented young violinist. She is a member of Hong Kong Camerata Strings and CIS Symphony. Training systematically and rigorously on a daily basis, she has won many awards at international competitions with invitation to perform at concerts overseas, including but not limited to, Gold Prize and Fantastic Technique Special Prize in London Young Musician International Classic Music Competition in 2022; Second Place in the 2nd PREMIA International Young Artists Music Festival with invitation to perform in the Prizewinners Gala Concert in the Weill Recital hall at Carnegie Hall New York in July 2023; First prize; Exceptional Young Talent Special Award in Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, 2020, with invitation to perform at Wiener Saal der Stiftung Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria; First Prize in Hong Kong region, 21st Osaka International Music Competition and with invitation to represent Hong Kong to attend the final competition held in Osaka in 2021. Besides music, Anna is also a lover of sports. She is a Black Belt and has won many awards in
Taikwondo. She is an avid skier and has been skiing since 4 years old.
Henry (Renhan) YANG - Platinum Medalist - Clarinet - China
Henry (Renhan) YANG, A Platinum Prize Winner of the 2022 Trinity International Music Competition was born on October 18, 2012, in Chengdu, China. He started playing the piano at age five and showed a great passion for music. At age eight he was drawn to the sound of the clarinet and showed great interest in studying the instrument. After a few months of studying the clarinet he auditioned for the Nanwai Qingao Primary School Orchestra and was admitted as a principal clarinetist. In September 2022, he began studying with Vasko Dukovski - Professor at the Nanjing University of Arts.
Emily Tan Yi Rui - Gold Medalist - Junior Category - Piano - Singapore
Emily Tan Yi Rui, 9, started learning Piano and Violin at a very tender age of 4. She also obtained a Grade 5 ABRSM Theory Exam. On top of these, she also picked up Guzheng during the Covid-19 lockdown in Singapore and score Distinction for her Grade 3 and4 practical exams in Dec 2021 and 2022 respectively. She has since then continued this as her 3 rd music instrument.
Processing great passion in music, she also attended orchestra and get to travel to Japan in December 2019 for an exchange. She learnt about teamwork in the trip and played Pachelbel – Canon in D, Toy Symphony and Paprika with her violin with the Gunma junior Orchestra.
At tender age of 5, she has been selected to perform at the Yong Siew Toh, NUS under the junior orchestra with Mandeville in Dec 2018. She also performed soloist violin for the Mandeville Biennial Concert on 30 th November 2019 in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University Singapore. Furthermore, she raised funds while playing orchestra in April 2019 at Tampines Festive Arts Festival. She also plays her Christmas songs on her violin during Christmas visits to the old folks home yearly.
She has also won several international and national awards this year:
- Accomplishment award for Piano for the Singapore Aureus Summer Music Festival in June 2021.
- She has clinched the 2 nd winner for Piano in the Elementary B and 2 nd commentary in the violin Elementary for the August 2021
International Grand Music Festival (IGMF).
- Additionally, she has won the Honor prize in violin solo, Group C (8 years old-2013), String Avenue International Competition
Autumn 2021 in September 2021.
- In November 2021, she clinched three first prizes in all the 3 instruments categories for the IMKA Music and Dance competition
(2021 Edition).
- In November 2021, she was awarded First Place and second place respectively at the Red Maple Keyboard and Violin
competition, Yong Musicians Category, 7-8 years old, and was invited to perform at the Red Maple Music Competition that will be
held in Totonto, Canada when the concert halls reopen.
- On 22 nd November 2021, she clinched both silver in the Global Genius Music Competition in both the Piano and Violin in Category
B, age 7-8, Autumn Season, 2021. She also won the Excellent Musicality Special Prize in this category.
- On 24 th Nov 2021, she also clinched the American Music Judges Award for outstanding performance and interpretation at the
Musicale Fall Piano Music Festival.
- On 18 th Dec 2021, she was awarded Champion for Grade 1 & 2 Piano and Merit for Violin in the 3 rd ASCO International Music
Competition in Piano and Violin respectively. Her performance was released on Apple itunes, amazon and so on in the album “The
3 rd ASCO International Music Competition 2021 Winners’ Collection” on 15 th Apr 2022.
- On 1 st Jan 2022, she won 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd prize for folk & Traditional Instruments, Piano Solo and Strings in the Valencia Awards
Music Competition (VAMC), Winter 2021, in the age 7-9 category.
- On 9 th Jan 2022, she won a total of 5 awards in the London Young Musician – Performance Grade 2 (Gold Prize for Piano),
Performance Grade 3 (Silver Prize for Violin), 20 th – 21 st Century Music Performance (Bronze Prize for Piano), Young Talent for Age
8 and under (Silver Prize) and lastly, clinching the title of All Round Musician Award for winning 2 or more Platinum/ Gold/ Silver/
Bronze prizes under different instruments.
- On 16 th Jan 2022. She has been chosen as an Honorable Mention Winner (Young Musicians Category) of American Protégé
International Piano & Strings Competition 2022. And, was invited to be in the list of Season 2023 Recitals at Carnegie Hall.
On 20 th Feb 2022, She has won 3 rd Prize piano winner for SIPC (Singapore International Piano Competition) Examination Group A.
On 10 th Mar 2022, she has won third prize piano winner for Charleston International Music Competition 2022 Winter Music
Competition.
On 16 th Apr 2022, she won Gold and Silver Medalist in Piano and Guzheng Junior Category respectively for Grand Metropolitan
International Music Competition 2022.
On 10 th Apr 2022, she was awarded London Young Musician Annual Star Awards.
On 4 th May 2022, she was awarded 3 rd in Age Group B (8 to 10 years old) for Piano and 2 nd in Guzheng in the King’s Peak Music
Competition 2022.
On 15 th Jun 2022, she was awarded Gold Medallist for Guzheng and Piano for the 9 years old Category and Bronze for Violin for the 9 year old Category in 2022 Quebec Music Competition Online International.
In June 2022, she represented her school for Guzheng Ensemble Performance for the Singapore Youth Festival 2022.
In Sept 2022, she played in her school Guzheng Ensemble performance during Teachers’ Day for school event.
On 22 nd Jul 2022, she was awarded Gold Medallist for Piano.
On 23 rd Dec 2022, she was awarded Gold Award for her Piano in 2022 Trinity International Music Competition.
She hopes that her music passion will continue to bring smiles and love to everyone in the world.
Emily Tan Yi Rui - Gold Medalist - Junior Category - Piano - Singapore
Emily Tan Yi Rui, 9, started learning Piano and Violin at a very tender age of 4. She also obtained a Grade 5 ABRSM Theory Exam. On top of these, she also picked up Guzheng during the Covid-19 lockdown in Singapore and score Distinction for her Grade 3 and4 practical exams in Dec 2021 and 2022 respectively. She has since then continued this as her 3 rd music instrument.
Processing great passion in music, she also attended orchestra and get to travel to Japan in December 2019 for an exchange. She learnt about teamwork in the trip and played Pachelbel – Canon in D, Toy Symphony and Paprika with her violin with the Gunma junior Orchestra.
At tender age of 5, she has been selected to perform at the Yong Siew Toh, NUS under the junior orchestra with Mandeville in Dec 2018. She also performed soloist violin for the Mandeville Biennial Concert on 30 th November 2019 in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University Singapore. Furthermore, she raised funds while playing orchestra in April 2019 at Tampines Festive Arts Festival. She also plays her Christmas songs on her violin during Christmas visits to the old folks home yearly.
She has also won several international and national awards this year:
- Accomplishment award for Piano for the Singapore Aureus Summer Music Festival in June 2021.
- She has clinched the 2 nd winner for Piano in the Elementary B and 2 nd commentary in the violin Elementary for the August 2021
International Grand Music Festival (IGMF).
- Additionally, she has won the Honor prize in violin solo, Group C (8 years old-2013), String Avenue International Competition
Autumn 2021 in September 2021.
- In November 2021, she clinched three first prizes in all the 3 instruments categories for the IMKA Music and Dance competition
(2021 Edition).
- In November 2021, she was awarded First Place and second place respectively at the Red Maple Keyboard and Violin
competition, Yong Musicians Category, 7-8 years old, and was invited to perform at the Red Maple Music Competition that will be
held in Totonto, Canada when the concert halls reopen.
- On 22 nd November 2021, she clinched both silver in the Global Genius Music Competition in both the Piano and Violin in Category
B, age 7-8, Autumn Season, 2021. She also won the Excellent Musicality Special Prize in this category.
- On 24 th Nov 2021, she also clinched the American Music Judges Award for outstanding performance and interpretation at the
Musicale Fall Piano Music Festival.
- On 18 th Dec 2021, she was awarded Champion for Grade 1 & 2 Piano and Merit for Violin in the 3 rd ASCO International Music
Competition in Piano and Violin respectively. Her performance was released on Apple itunes, amazon and so on in the album “The
3 rd ASCO International Music Competition 2021 Winners’ Collection” on 15 th Apr 2022.
- On 1 st Jan 2022, she won 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd prize for folk & Traditional Instruments, Piano Solo and Strings in the Valencia Awards
Music Competition (VAMC), Winter 2021, in the age 7-9 category.
- On 9 th Jan 2022, she won a total of 5 awards in the London Young Musician – Performance Grade 2 (Gold Prize for Piano),
Performance Grade 3 (Silver Prize for Violin), 20 th – 21 st Century Music Performance (Bronze Prize for Piano), Young Talent for Age
8 and under (Silver Prize) and lastly, clinching the title of All Round Musician Award for winning 2 or more Platinum/ Gold/ Silver/
Bronze prizes under different instruments.
- On 16 th Jan 2022. She has been chosen as an Honorable Mention Winner (Young Musicians Category) of American Protégé
International Piano & Strings Competition 2022. And, was invited to be in the list of Season 2023 Recitals at Carnegie Hall.
On 20 th Feb 2022, She has won 3 rd Prize piano winner for SIPC (Singapore International Piano Competition) Examination Group A.
On 10 th Mar 2022, she has won third prize piano winner for Charleston International Music Competition 2022 Winter Music
Competition.
On 16 th Apr 2022, she won Gold and Silver Medalist in Piano and Guzheng Junior Category respectively for Grand Metropolitan
International Music Competition 2022.
On 10 th Apr 2022, she was awarded London Young Musician Annual Star Awards.
On 4 th May 2022, she was awarded 3 rd in Age Group B (8 to 10 years old) for Piano and 2 nd in Guzheng in the King’s Peak Music
Competition 2022.
On 15 th Jun 2022, she was awarded Gold Medallist for Guzheng and Piano for the 9 years old Category and Bronze for Violin for the 9 year old Category in 2022 Quebec Music Competition Online International.
In June 2022, she represented her school for Guzheng Ensemble Performance for the Singapore Youth Festival 2022.
In Sept 2022, she played in her school Guzheng Ensemble performance during Teachers’ Day for school event.
On 22 nd Jul 2022, she was awarded Gold Medallist for Piano.
On 23 rd Dec 2022, she was awarded Gold Award for her Piano in 2022 Trinity International Music Competition.
She hopes that her music passion will continue to bring smiles and love to everyone in the world.
Vimvarintorn Pornvattanakit - Gold Medalist - Youth Category - Piano - Thailand
Vimvarintorn Pornvattanakit, started playing the piano at the age of 5, Currently studying at Rugby School Thailand and has received a music scholarship. She can also play other instruments such as the Violin and Harp. She passed grade 8 ABRSM piano with a distinction.
He playing is well described as: “Expressive character explored”, “Impressively vast”, “elegant”and “remarkable”
She started traveling outside the country after getting selected into the finals, her most proud competition was at New York City where she was the 2nd prize winner and has been invited to play in the Carnegie Hall, the competition was, “The 1st Piano House International Piano Competition” which was hosted by Adam Gyorgy Another proud achievement was the, “27th international Music Competition Grand Prize Virtuoso 2021” she got 1st prize winner and got invited to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of Beethoven’s birth in Germany, sadly there was covid. She was also invited to perform for the “50 years of Successful Polish - Thai Relations Talented Youth Gala Concert” Where his Excellency The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland attended.
Vimvarintorn is the Grand Prize Winner of the Rocky Mountain Piano comp in Toronto, Canada, First Place Winner of the 21st Century Talents keyboard comp in Ottawa, Canada, Finalist Winner of Great Musicianship special prize of the Cambridge Music Comp, Gold Prize Winner in the World Classical Music Awards 2022 season IV, Gold Prize in the Young Musician Comp and Festival, Third Place Winner of the Vienna Virtuoso Festival Competition, First Prize in the International Music Comp Salzburg “Grand Prize Virtuoso” In the intermediate category, Silver Prize in the London Young Musician comp, First Place in the International Young Musicians Music Comp, 3rd Place Winner in Thailand's Young Artist Music Contest 2022, 1st Prize Winner of the Shanghai International Piano Comp 2022, Gold Prize for the International Lanna Music Festival and Comp
Hovsep Asatryan - Gold Medalist - Collegiate Category - Saxophone - Armenia
Hovsep Asatryan was born on March 19, 2005 in the city of Yerevan (Armenia). In 2011, he was admitted to the piano department of the Yerevan Achemyan Music School. In 2016, he was admitted to the piano department of the Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Secondary Professional Music School of Yerevan. Then, in 2017, he was transferred to the saxophone class, the teacher is Gor Ghasabyan. Since 2018, he has been a member of the school's jazz orchestra, he is also an orchestra soloist, artistic director and conductor, honored figure of the Republic of Armenia, saxophonist Armen Hyusunts. In 2019, he participated in the 10th international competition-festival "Art Music" and was awarded a gold medal. In 2019, he participated in the 11th international competition-festival "Renaissance" and was awarded the title of 3rd class laureate. He is a member of "New Names of Armenia" and participated in the 9th international festival of young musicians-performers "New Names" and was awarded with a diploma. He took master classes from musicians from the Valance Conservatory (within the Francophonie), as well as from the famous Japanese saxophonist Nobuya Sugawa. In 2022, he won the Canadian "International music festival and competition" gold medal. In December 2022, he participated in the "TRINITY INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION" and was awarded a gold medal. He gave many speeches in various well-known concert halls, and on March 12, 2022, he had a solo concert.
Zhang Ziqian - Gold Medalist - Youth Category - Clarinet - China
Zhang Ziqian, A Gold Prize Winner of the 2022 Trinity International Music Competition began his musical studies at age six. At age nine he started studying the clarinet with professor He Yemo of the Shanghai Conservatory and after two years of studies he decided to pursue a professional career in music. In 2022 Zhang Ziqian was admitted to the Affiliated Middle School of the Nanjing University of Arts as a student of Professor Vasko Dukovski.
Zhang Ziqian is First Prize Winner of the 2022 Swiss International Music Competition, First Prize Winner of the 2022 Shanghai Magnolia International Music Festival Competition, First Prize Winner of the 31st Young Musician International Competition “Citta’ di Barletta” in Italy and First Prize Winner of the 2019 Yamaha Clarinet Competition in China.
Kathryn McConnell - Gold Medalist- Junior Category - Piano - USA
Kathryn McConnell is an 8 year old pianist from New Jersey, USA. She is a 3rd grade student at The Red Oaks School in Morristown, New Jersey. Kathryn has always been a classical music enthusiast from a very young age. She receives her piano instruction from the internationally recognized piano pedagogue, Dr. Angela Chan. Kathryn is also an aspiring violinist, a brilliant chess player and a budding writer. She had her first performance at Carnegie Hall at the age of 5.
MORE BIOS TO COME!
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