Ruth Burr Competition

Ms. Ruff is an accomplished pianist, a seasoned collaborator and a dynamic performer with a versatile range of experience. Most recently, she participated in the International Music Festival of the Adriatic, where she performed both solo and chamber repertoire and premiered new compositions in nine concerts in Northern Italy and Slovenia.  Alissa is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships.  She received the Jack R. and Mary Lois Wheatley Endowed Leadership scholarship which she used to support her research on Marguerite Canal’s song cycles.  With over a decade of teaching experience, Alissa now teaches private and group lessons through the University of Houston Community Arts Academy and the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts. She received her bachelor’sdegree in piano performance from Brigham Young University with Dr. Stephen Beus.  Alissa is currently pursuing a master’s degree with Dr. Todd Van Kekeris at the Moores School of Music. As she wrote in her statement of plans and aspirations, she plans to pursue a doctorate degree in piano performance and pedagogy and then to build a career based on frequent performances, collaboration and high-quality instruction.

Mr. Huang earned two Master of Music degrees in piano performance and chamber music with Professor Logan Skelton at the University of Michigan under full tuition scholarships. He is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at Rice University, Shepherd School of Music with Dr. Jon Kimura Parker, as the only piano Artist Diploma student that the school has accepted for the past four years. Zhengyi has won seven consecutive first prizes in recent competitions, including the Paris Concours Européen de Piano, Eisemann International Young Artist Competition, Italy Amadeus International Competition, 81st Naftzger Young Artist Competition among others, which gave him the opportunity to perform throughout the U.S., China, Japan and Europe. In the summer of 2022, he received full tuition fellowships from the Piano Texas International Festival, Rebecca Pennys Festival and the Gilmore Festival. This year he is invited to give solo recitals and teach master classes in Sapporo, Japan, Shenzhen, China, Athens, Greece, Barcelona, Spain, Paris, France and many others.  As he wrote in his statement of plans and aspirations, his aspiration is to foster exchange and mutual understanding through music. In that regard, he has built an online presence, creating videos that fuse classical music with contemporary genres, making it more accessible and engaging for younger audiences.  

Ms. Hoffman is pursuing a Master of Music degree at the University of Houston Moores School of Music under the guidance of Dr. Tali Morgulis. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in April 2023 as the winner of the NLPA International Young Artists Competition. In recent years, Momoko has achieved Overall Winner of the NaftzerYoung Artist Competition, First Place and Audience Favorite in the Inaugural Moores School of Music Creative Pianist Competition, Third Place and Audience Favorite in the Rubato International Competition and Third Place in the Kuleshov International Competition. She is also president of the MTNA Chapter at the University of Houston and has experience presenting at numerous MTNA state and national conventions. As she stated in her plans and aspirations statement, she plans to pursue a Doctorate in Music to further refine her skills as an artist and educator. Ultimately, her hope is to contribute to the growth of the next generation of musicians and share her passion for music through her performances.