Jacquline Liu Piano

Born in North Carolina in 2013, Jacqueline Liu embarked on her musical journey at a young age. From the age of eight, she has been studying piano under the guidance of Florence Ko, a highly esteemed teacher recognized in the Steinway & Sons Hall of Fame.

At the tender age of six, Jacqueline began to participate in prestigious competitions and garnered numerous awards. She won First Prizes in piano competitions including NCFMC State Royalty Competition, NC Young Artist Auditions, American Music Talent Competition, and received the distinguished State Maxine Taylor Fountain Award. She is also a Grand Prize Winner in the 2023 Concert Artists International Competition. Jacqueline has set foot on world stages such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall multiple times, showcasing her remarkable abilities as a pianist.

In 2023, Jacqueline was invited to perform a concerto with the Nanning Symphony Orchestra in China, adding another illustrious chapter to her burgeoning career.

Beyond her piano virtuosity, Jacqueline is equally passionate about singing, attaining multiple victories in international competitions, including the prestigious American Protégé International Vocal Competition 2023 (Classical Repertoire Category). She is also honored to be selected to NCMEA Honors Chorus two years in row, representing the highest level of achievement in choral music in North Carolina.

Gavin Hardy Double Bass

Gavin Hardy, a high school double bassist from Winston-Salem, NC, discovered his passion for classical music at the early age of 4. Under the guidance of Paul Sharpe at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he was selected as the winner of the 2021-2022 Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition. This past summer, he was one of five double bassists invited to participate in the Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program along with participants from Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and China. Orchestral performance is also a passion of Gavin’s, as he has been accepted into prominent youth orchestras including the National Youth Orchestra’s NYO2 and NYO-USA programs, along with the Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artist Orchestra. Gavin’s goal as a musician is to become the principal double bassist of a major symphony and teach the double bass at a music conservatory

Peter Noll Composer

Peter Noll is a composer whose music explores the combination of minimalism, modernism and impressionism. His music is immersed in the ideas of philosophy and the natural world. Noll follows the concept of “what?” and “how?” in search of “why?” What is the sound that needs to be explored, and how can that sound be achieved? These questions give Noll the challenge of the “why?” in his music. Noll writes for all combinations of instruments and voices, from acoustic to electric, and solo to large symphonic settings. Noll began his music journey as a saxophonist. He completed his undergraduate degree in music performance from Florida Gulf Coast University in Southwest Florida with his primary instrument being saxophone. His Desert Glass won a competition sponsored by violinist Kevin Lawrence and pianist Dmitri Shteinberg, and was premiered by their duo in January 2022.  Noll’s Sunset Avenue was premiered by nu ensemble in February 2022.  His music has been recorded by yMusic and the Reynolda String Quartet. Noll graduated from UNCSA with a masters in 2023 and studied composition with Lawrence Dillon.