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Results of PMTA Trophy Competitio​n 2014 (A post for every student/pa​rent)

On May 4, 2014, the Plano Music Teachers Association held their annual Trophy Competition at the Collin College in Plano.  It makes me extremely proud to report that ten of the contestants were Shepherd Piano Studio students.

Participation in this type of event is very demanding. In order to be able to perform their pieces perfectly, students had to push themselves hard to bring themselves up to the standards, both technical and artistic, that are required for this type of competition.  All of the Shepherd Piano Studio participants worked strenuously to meet these standards, and watching this competition, I felt very proud to be their teacher.

Four Shepherd Piano Studio students were winners in the competition.  Grace Inthathirath, competing in group 2 of Grade 8, came in Third Place.  Connie Yang, competing in group 2 of Grade 6, came in Third Place.   Sarah Chen, competing in group 1 of grade 8, received an Honorable Mention.  Eileen Zhao, competing in group 3 of Grade 4, received an Honorable Mention. 

Well-deserved congratulations to all of our winners and their families!  Having your talent and the effort you put into your music be recognized and appreciated by other professional musicians is a wonderful experience. Winning a competition is the beginning of a new chapter in your musical journey.  It means that you are now playing at a different level, and you will be expected to continue to commit your time and energy to achieving excellence.  I am honored to share this moment with you, and to be a part of your musical journey.

I would also like to share another story about our competitors.  A lovely family with two very talented daughters experienced mixed feelings after the competition.  Both of their daughters were contestants in the competition, in two different divisions.  One daughter came in Third Place, but the other didn't even place in the top five.  I could totally relate to this mother as she shared with me her thoughts and mixed feelings after the event.

This year, ten Shepherd Piano Studio students went to compete in the event.   Four out of those ten received awards, which means that six students, even after working so hard for several months, didn’t receive any awards at the competition at all.  I just want to emphasize that no one should be discouraged with these results.  Your participation in the competition shows your commitment to excellence, your ability to work hard in pursuit of a goal,  and your dedication to your music.  These attributes alone make you outstanding both as performers and as individuals.  I think it is true both in the music world and in life, that sometimes we work hard, but don't get recognized right away. We need to keep working hard and keep pushing ourselves.  In my experience, those who continue to work hard eventually do reach their goals and get recognized.  I am very proud of all our students.



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