Howard Na

Semifinal Round I

Semifinal Round II

As a young child, his gift for music was acknowledged and developed by his teachers in Taiwan. Mr. Na was awarded a full music scholarship by the government at age eight. However, his family did not take up the offer but chose to move to California. During his five years of study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, he was regularly listed as receiving “Honorary Distinction” and was the youngest to finish the certified programs in the Preparatory Division—at age thirteen. He continued his studies with the guidance from Anna Poklewski in De Anza College from 1998 until 2003, with Vladimir Viardo in University of North Texas until 2007, and now currently under the tutelage of Rosalina Sackstein at the University of Miami. Mr. Na made his first public recital at age eleven, and his first orchestral appearance two years after, performing Saint-Saen’s Second Concerto with the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra at the Diablo Valley Center. He contin¬ ued to receive top honors in competitions, such as the Russian Music Competition. In 2005, he received a special prize in the National Chopin Competition in Miami. He went on to the XVI International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw later that year and was immediately invited to perform in the major cities of Poland and in a concert at the Valldemossa Festival in Mallorca, Spain. Mr. Na is now in the Master’s program in Miami. He is actively participating in competitions and performances; he recently won the University of Miami Concerto Competition and has performed with Maestro Thomas Sleeper. He received first prize at the Artist Series of Sarasota and will return there next year to perform. He will also return to per¬ form at the El Paso Chopin Festival in September.