Aria and her former Teacher, Minghua at the 2022 Honors Recital
Opus 1 Music Studio is honored to spotlight one of its hardest working and most advanced young musicians: Aria! At just 11 years old, Aria is already performing at a level well beyond her years. She began learning piano at age four and added violin to her studies when she was five. Over the years, Aria has studied piano with both Teacher Minghua and her current teacher, Dr. Claire, whose guidance has helped shape her into the talented and disciplined musician she is today. In addition to studying both piano and violin, Aria composes original music, participates in high-level competitions, and frequently performs duets with her younger sister, Violet, who is also a piano student at Opus 1.
Aria thrives on keeping herself challenged and held to the highest standard. One of her favorite pieces is Beethoven’s Tempest, which she recently performed to win first place at the Golden Classical Music Awards. The piece was selected with the guidance of her former teacher, Minghua, and allowed Aria to express a wide range of emotion, something that brings her great enjoyment while she plays. “She has good taste in pieces, and thought that piece had a lot of different emotions so I could express myself well,” Aria explained.
She also lists Beethoven, Debussy, Liszt, and Chopin among her favorite composers, saying: “They have hard songs and they sound really good. I like their style,” she added.
In addition to her instrumental training, Aria is already an accomplished composer. Her original compositions have received recognition in the PTA Reflections Art Contest, where she placed first at the district level and second at the county level for one of her pieces.
Looking ahead, Aria continues to push herself and already has a goal in mind for her next piece.“I want to learn La Campanella,” she told us, referring to Liszt’s notoriously difficult composition.
Aria’s remarkable progress is supported by the guidance of dedicated instructors. Her current teacher, Dr. Claire, has played a significant role in refining both her technique and musical interpretation.“Teacher Claire has taught me that when you get a new piece, you have to go slow and learn the notes. Then you can shape the music yourself. And sometimes, if you need to, you add a different tone or feeling somewhere,” Aria described.
Aria’s mother shared that sentiment, and expressed appreciation for Dr. Claire’s unique ability to teach musicality. “She is so good with both the technical side as well as the musicality and artistry. She adds all these little nuances, and when you follow what she says, it just sounds better,” Aria’s mom shared.
When approaching challenging pieces, one of Aria’s favorite tools is a handwritten practice guide from her former teacher, Minghua advice she continues to use today. “I still use this note from Teacher Minghua when I am learning a new piece to remind me how to do it. You learn the notes, then the dynamics, then think about what they sound like and shape them. Then tempo, touches, articulations… pedal comes last,” she explained.
“Teacher Minghua always said hard work is 99% of it, and talent is 1%,” Aria added.
Even with all of the hard work she has put in, it is clear to us that Aria is a natural talent. It is no surprise that Aria’s playing regularly turns heads at the studio. On more than one occasion, staff and parents have paused to ask who is playing and have often mistaken her for one of our instructors. Her tone control, expressive phrasing, and musical maturity make it easy to forget that she is just 11 years old.
Outside of music, Aria keeps an impressively full schedule. She is enrolled in high school–level math courses, studies TaeKwonDo, attends swimming lessons, and still manages to practice piano every single day. Despite her busy routine, she stays focused on her goals and brings the same determination to all areas of her life. When asked what she admires most about herself, Aria said, “I like how I’m dedicated.”
Even when a piece feels frustrating or progress is slow, Aria knows the importance of perseverance. “You keep going so you can be good at the thing you want to do most,” she explained.
When asked what advice she would give to younger students who want to reach her level, Aria suggested:
“Follow your dreams. Don’t give up. Everyone started as a beginner. I used to be bad at piano, and now I am very good. Think about that when you try to do other things too. You can do anything if you work hard, and you can achieve something and remember it for the rest of your life,” she said.
Whether she is practicing a new piece, performing for an audience, or composing from her imagination, Aria approaches her music with focus, joy, and determination. This is what makes her such an outstanding student!