Judges' Biography

Junwen Liang (piano solo and chamber)

Chinese-born pianist Dr. Junwen Liang began his piano studies at nine and made his solo debut at the age of thirteen. Junwen has performed in major cities in China, Canada, and the United States. His achievements include the most recent two-time concert appearances at Carnegie Hall and Kimmel Center in Philadelphia; one public broadcast performance of Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto with Ithaca College Orchestra on WSKG radio in New York State, and a solo performance broadcasted on Philadelphia’s WRTI Classical Radio. Upcoming performance engagement in 2022 – 2023 includes live and virtual concerts in France, Italy, and the United States.

He was also invited to participate in music festivals such as Lunigiana International Music Festival, Baltimore International Piano Festival, Philadelphia Young Pianists’ Academy, Orford Musique, Art of the Piano, and Aspen Music Festival. Junwen has won major prizes in multiple competitions such as YMIC International Music Competition, The American Prize, Juliusz Zarębski International Piano Competition, New York International Piano Competition, and Philadelphia International Piano Competition.

Dr. Liang holds degrees from Penn State (DMA), Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (MM), and Ithaca College (BM). His major mentors include Christopher Guzman, Roberto Plano, Edward Auer, and Charis Dimaras. He is now pursuing a Graduate Performance Diploma at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, under the tutelage of Richard Goode. Aside from performing, Dr. Liang also teaches private piano lessons and collaborates with professional singers in various concert venues in the Baltimore Area

Grace Liu (piano solo and chamber)

Grace Liu is a Taiwanese-American pianist who performs as a soloist and collaborative pianist in the U.S. and Taiwan, “impressing [audiences] with her finesse and sensitivity” (Orange County Register). She is the recipient of the Pauline Favin Memorial Award in Piano and the Clara Ascherfel Accompanying Award at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. She was also a finalist and recitalist at the Wonderlic Piano Competition and Schlern International Music Competition.
Dr. Liu has been invited to participate in numerous international music festivals, including the Banff Piano Masterclass (Canada), Bowdoin International Music Festival (ME), Beethoven Institute (NY), and Schlern International Music Festival (Italy). She has also participated in master classes taught by Leon Fleisher, Menahem Pressler, Boris Berman, John Perry, Stephen Hough, as well as the Jupiter and Takacs Quartets.A dedicated teacher, Dr. Liu currently holds faculty positions at Peabody Preparatory, St. James School and the Park School of Baltimore, and she maintains a private studio in Baltimore.Dr. Liu earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Institute, where she also received her Master of Music degree in piano performance. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree at University of California, Irvine. Her major teachers include Alexander Shtarkman, Lorna Griffitt, Rose Hsin-I Chen, and Daniel Hanley.

Stephen Czarkowski (String solo and other chamber)

Maestro Stephen Czarkowski is in demand as a conductor, cellist and educator in the Washington, D.C. area and nationally. Starting with the 2022-23 season Mr. Czarkowski has been named Music Director and Conductor of the Central Pennsylvania Symphony and Principal Guest Conductor of the Newark Symphony Orchestra. He is in his eleventh season as Conductor of the Apollo Orchestra, and has collaborated with artists from the Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). For more information please visit stephenczarkowski.com

Katherine Ravenwood (Wind/Brass solo and other chamber)

Katherine Ravenwood is a passionate and active multi-instrumentalist, writer, educator, and music administrator currently based in the Washington, D.C. area. As an accomplished musical theater, chamber and orchestral musician, she has appeared in performances across the United States. She has served as the principal clarinetist with the Mantovani Orchestra, and has appeared as a soloist with groups such as the Maryland Chamber Orchestra and Great Noise Ensemble. She maintains an active teaching studio throughout the year and regularly serves as an adjudicator and clinician for area competitions and school music programs. Her students perform in recitals and concerts throughout the year and have participated in many festivals, competitions, honors bands and orchestras, and have gone on to pursue successful careers in the arts and other distinguished fields.

Sung Yoon (Gospel)

Sung Yoon is a winner of a capital award in Performing Art (CAPA). While pursuing her Doctoral degree in Piano Performance at UMCP, she taught piano classes at Montgomery college and Prince George college as a faculty member. Her passion for performing and teaching led her to perform piano in many recital halls, such as Millennium Concert Hall at the John F. Kennedy Center, Goodwin Concert Hall and Miriam A. Friedberg Hall at Peabody Conservatory, Ulrich and Gilden Horn Recital Hall at UMCP, and etc. She also accompanied and coached pre-college level instrumentalists for their competitions, juries, lessons and master classes with National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) members and concerts at the John F. Kennedy Center.