The Young Stars of Classical Music

The Concert at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington Revealed Unexpected Young Talents The evening of February 6, 2026 at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Washington turned into the most moving musical celebration.

The Bulgarian Musical Society, in partnership with the American Masters Music Awards (AMMA), presented a concert titled "The Young Musical Stars" - an event that confirmed that they are the future talents of classical music.

The "Ghost" of Beethoven

The concert began with the performance of Piano Trio No. 5 in D major, Op. 70, No. 1 ("Ghost") by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). The performers - Connor Kim (piano), Alexander Moon (violin) and Hanna Bell (cello) - represent the ensemble "Topaz Ensemble", formed in 2022. The work is known as a "musical autograph", dedicated to Countess Marie von Erdödy, at whose estate Ludwig van Beethoven was a guest. The piano trio is somewhat strange, mystical music, inspired by Shakespeare's "Hamlet" from the ghost scene, as well as by "Macbeth" with the Witches' Chorus.

The ensemble unity brought special expressiveness to the sound picture, colored with "ominous" nuances and revelations in tones, reaching their culmination on the cello. It is no coincidence that "Topaz Ensemble" continuously wins distinctions, and in 2025 received the prestigious Best Performer award at the AMMA Metropolitan Music Festival.

The Magic of the Flute

Alicia Kim, a flutist and member of the American Youth Philharmonic, elevated to the highest level of the orchestra and additionally ranked first place in Korea. With elegant artistry and gentle sound, she presented "Fantaisie" by Georges Hüe (1858-1948). This is one of the most famous works in the flute repertoire, composed in 1913 for the exam at the Paris Conservatory and dedicated to the legendary professor Adolphe Hennebains.

The gentle breath of the flute, the virtuosically presented lyrical passages, were skillfully emphasized by the accompaniment of Maribeth Gwen on piano. As if the soul of the flute was tamed by Alicia Kim's fingers, demonstrating maturity far beyond her years. It is no surprise that she performs leading flute parts every year in the musicals at Georgetown Day School in Washington.

The Magnificent Mozart

Twelve-year-old pianist Caroline Li presented Sonata in B-flat major, KV 570 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). This is one of Mozart's more mature creations, completed in February 1789, distinguished by refined elegance and special intimacy.

Caroline's performance was a true revelation. Placing her hands on the keyboard, she made it freely "speak" quite naturally with talent and intuition, penetrating the meaning of the piano melody. Not a single note was missed, every nuance was in its place. Solemn and brilliant, the youngest pianist had sensed Mozart's exceptional ethereal style and deservedly won the hearts of the audience.

The Lyricism of Schumann

Aaron Huang, an eleventh-grader from Richard Montgomery High School, who has played cello since the age of seven, performed the first movement of Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 by Robert Schumann (1810-1856), with piano accompaniment by Jeongseon Choi. Schumann's Cello Concerto is one of the most poetic works in the repertoire, composed in 1850 in two weeks in a burst of inspiration.

Aaron captured the sad romance of the work, combining technical precision with deep emotional expressiveness. His tone was rich and singing, the phrasing - meaningful. In addition to his active musical activity as a chamber performer, Aaron finds time for ice hockey and reading manga - evidence of a balanced approach to life.

The Passion of Piazzolla

YMIC String Ensemble - Raymond Lim and Daniel Won (violins), Jonathan Y. Chi (viola), Hanna Philippy and Julie Amyot (cellos) and Minjae Leon (piano) - presented "Libertango" by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992). This is an emblematic tango nuevo composition, created in 1974 as a symbol of liberation from traditional tango forms. The ensemble achieved an astonishing performance, perfectly capturing Piazzolla's characteristic combination of passion, nostalgia and modern energy.

The rhythmic precision was impeccable, the dynamic contrasts - dramatic, and the interaction between instruments - organic. Minjae Leon's piano accompaniment provided a solid foundation upon which the string instruments built an artistically accented sound picture with strong emotional impact.

The Range of the Young Stars

Worth noting is the performance by Felicia Hu - clarinet, with piano accompaniment by Johnson Choi of Concerto in F minor, I. Allegro by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) with pastel and dreamy sound nuances, saturated with the exotic timbres of the clarinet; the performance of Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, III movement by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) by the duo Vivian Tang (violin), Young Ji Kim (piano); Suite "Dolly", Op. 56, No. 6 by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) by piano duo Noah Ku and Finley Chong. Each one of them was musically gifted and with an original presentation style.

The Romance of Franz Liszt

The culmination of the concert was two significant works by Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Transcendental Etude No. 10 ("Appassionata") performed by Charles Zhao and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A minor, performed by Arnav Iyengar. Both young pianists are from Washington, approximately the same age, love mathematics and excel in mathematical competitions. Arnav is also passionate about tennis, hiking and chess, while Charles is captivated by computer science, programming and robot construction. Both began piano training at 5-6 years old. Arnav has been studying for 12 years with Joseph Currie, and Charles currently studies with Margarita Gramatikova. What unites them in friendship is their passion for Franz Liszt - composer and great pianist of Romanticism. Their performances were simultaneously unforgettable and contrasting in approach and interpretation.

Arnav Iyengar - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A minor: Arnav's performance was distinguished by seeking the emotional foundation of the work. He emphasized the poetic intonation, his sound was artistically accented, the phrasing - expressive. His virtuosic style underscored the Hungarian folk character of the themes and their brilliant variations. One could feel how the young pianist immersed himself in the soul of the music, recreating it with inspiration.

Charles Zhao - Transcendental Etude No. 10 ("Appassionata"): Charles offered a more structured approach. He rose above the individual fragments, making the detail tangible through "hammered" pathetic sound. His technical precision was impressive, the dynamic contrasts - dramatic. The etude, known for its exceptional technical difficulty, was mastered with enviable confidence. Epilogue of the Triumph The concert ended with prolonged applause.

The audience long greeted the young talents with exclamations of "Bravo!" and "Success at Carnegie Hall!" In a spontaneous and happy moment, Arnav Iyengar and Charles Zhao sat together at the Steinway and, smiling, competed with Lisztian keyboard colors and nuances, interweaving their hands on the keyboard. The sound they created together was magical - proof that the young musicians not only master the technique, but also understand the essence of music-making: the joy of sharing.

Conclusion

The concert "The Young Musical Stars" confirmed that classical music continues to attract and form exceptional talents. Each of the performers demonstrated not only technical mastery, but also musical maturity, individuality and passion for art. The Bulgarian Musical Society and the American Masters Music Awards deserve congratulations for organizing this inspiring event, which not only presented the young talents on a worthy stage, but also emphasized the importance of musical education and cultural ties between Bulgaria and America. The future of classical music shines brightly in the talented hands of these young virtuosos.

© Nelly Tsoneva, Krassi Genov

Washington DC, February 2026