RYAN Wang and Ray Zhang are taking a break from their busy international touring schedules to put on a concert for their hometown fans.
The pint-sized piano prodigies, aged 5 and 6, respectively, will perform at West Vancouver's Kay Meek Centre on June 9 at 3 p.m. on the heels of a show at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
The boys, both students at Collingwood School, will be playing solos, duets, duos, concertos and a four-piano quartet with their music teacher Fafan Xiao and one of her senior students.
Though they've only been playing a short time, and still require the aid of pedal extenders, Ryan and Ray have both accumulated a collection of awards, trophies and scholarships. Most recently, they performed a piano duo at the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition, which earned them first place and a Judges' Distinction Award. As a result, they were invited to perform at Carnegie Hall on May 27. Ryan previously played at Carnegie Hall in March after coming second at the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition. He was also invited to perform at New York's Steinway Hall in April after winning third place in the American Association for Development of Gifted and Talented's Passion of Music 2013 and was a guest on the Memorial Day episode of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Following Ryan and Ray's Kay Meek performance, the jet-setting pair will hold a concert at the Fazioli Concert Hall in Italy on July 5, and another concert later that month in China with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
Don Xu of Fafan Piano Studio is often asked why some children excel at music so quickly. In the case of most students who play above their age level, including Ryan and Ray, he says there are three components that come together. First, the children must be hard-working and willing to practise. Second, they need supportive parents to cheer on their efforts.
And third, Xu says, the kids need a good piano teacher who will lay out clear expectations and help them reach goals.
Xu says the June 9 performance will be inspirational for other young kids who hope to excel at piano, or any other endeavour.
The concert will also feature a performance by the Sarah McLachlan School of Music's 45member Sing Act Move children's choir. Tickets are $15, available at kaymeekcentre.com or by calling the box office at 604-981-6335.
