Lydia Xu, 16, currently studies piano with Dr. Elvin Rodriguez. She started her piano studies at age 7 with Ms. Huan Che. Her past piano awards include Second Place in the State Final of the CAPMT Honor Competition, Second Place in the Southern California CAPMT Concerto Competition, First Place at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival, First Prize in the Great Composers International Music Competition, First Place at the Riverside MTAC Young Pianists’ Competition, First Place Solo, First Place Concerto, and First Place Duet at the Inland Empire Piano Festival. She has also been a prizewinner at the MTAC State Concerto Competition Southern California, Steinway Society Piano Competition, and Southern California Junior Bach Festival. She made her concerto debut with the Coachella Valley Symphony after winning the Steinway Society Concerto Competition. Besides piano, Lydia enjoys running on her high school’s Cross Country Team, teaching children’s Sunday school, and researching Chemistry at UC Riverside. She has won First Place at the Riverside County Science Fair and Second Place at the Inland Empire Science Olympiad and is a state finalist for both.

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