2026 NAVI
​Top Prize Winners' Gala Concert

Presenting 2026 NAVI Absolute Platinum & Platinum Medalists

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Sergei Dreznin - Piano - Professional Category - Austria - 99% - Absolute Platinum Medalist 

Panagiotis Fournarakis - Composition - Professional Category - Greece - 98% - Absolute Platinum Medalist 

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Patt Pita Tutanathorn - Piano - Junior Category - Thailand - 97% - Platinum Medalist

Esme Tran - Piano - Junior Category - USA - 97%  - Platinum Medalist

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Yue Ming - Composition - Professional Category - China - 96% - Platinum Medalist 

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Zda Alezandra Sumbillo- Voice -  Youth Category - Philippines - 95% -  Platinum Medalist

Violet Chen - Piano - Junior Category - USA- 95%  - Platinum Medalist

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Philip Jeong - Cello - Youth  Category - USA - 95% - Platinum Medalist

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Byungwook Park - Viola - Collegiate Category - South Korea - 95% - Platinum Medalist

Egshiglen Sainzaya- Mongolian Yatg - Collegiate  Category -Mongolia  - 95% - Platinum Medalist

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Vladyslav Dovhan - Saxophone - Professional Category - USA - 95% - Platinum Medalist

NAVI 2024 congratulates all the winners & finalists
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Presenting 2025 NAVI Top Gold Medalists (with a score of 94%)

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Taylor Louise Fong - Voice (Pop) - Junior Category - Malaysia - 94% - Top Gold Medalist

Ryan Prentice - Cello - Youth Category - USA - 95% - Top Gold Medalist

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Saadya Polavarapu - Voice (Pop) - Youth Category - India - 94% - Top Gold Medalist 

 William Vo - Piano - Junior Category - Canada - 94%. - Top Gold Medalist 

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Lourdes Pena - Voice - Open Category - Mexico - 94% - Top Gold Medalist

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Niko Shah - Guitar - Youth Category - USA - 94% - Top Gold Medalist 

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Issalene Kim - Harp - Collegiate Category - Hong Kong - 94% - Top Gold Medalist

​Hunter Rhee  - Piano - Collegiate Category - USA - 94% - Top Gold Medalist

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​2025 Final Round Winners' Photo & Biography Submission
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We warmly invite all final round winners to submit a short biography (under 200 words, written in paragraph form) along with a high-resolution concert portrait. We would be pleased to showcase your success on our "NAVI Hall of Fame" to celebrate your achievements.

Please submit your biography in text format (as a Word document, .doc) by emailing it to [email protected]. Kindly note that we do not accept biographies embedded in images or PDF files.

We look forward to highlighting your accomplishments and sharing them with our global community.

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Proudly presenting 2025 NAVI Winners

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​Sergei Dreznin - Piano - Professional Category - Austria - Absolute Platinum Medalist 

Sergei Dreznin is not just an artist – he is a creative volcano, a musical visionary, and a boundary-crosser who relentlessly seeks and finds the unexpected. As a concert pianist, award-winning composer, and inspiring teacher, he brings music to life and creates theatrical worlds that captivate audiences. He fascinates, surprises, and challenges – always with the goal of delivering profound emotional experiences.

Born in 1955, Sergei Dreznin comes from a Jewish family in Moscow. His father, Grigory, volunteered in 1941 to fight against the Nazis, only to be sentenced in 1948 to five years in a labor camp due to his Jewish heritage. In 1973, Sergei was denied admission to the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, but 25 years later, he graduated from the very same institution with distinction in composition.

Since 1987, Sergei has lived in Vienna, New York, Paris, and Berlin.
"The dream of Leonard Bernstein for an opera in the form of a musical was realized by Sergei Dreznin, a Soviet composer," wrote Der Standard following the premiere of Sergei Dreznin's Ophelia – Opera in Blue at Vienna's Roter Engel in 1988. Since then, Sergei has brought over 20 original musical theater projects to the stage in cities such as New York, Vienna, Paris, Moscow, and Madrid. These include the musical epic Catherine the Great, 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman based on Stefan Zweig, the biting satire 1000 Suns, or Dr. Jöckel in Power, and most recently, The Man Who Laughs. In collaboration with George Tabori in Vienna, he worked on R+J Musical and Hamlet for the Wiener Festwochen in 1990.

His Chansons und Satiren aus Theresienstadt at the Rabenhof Theater, with Alexander Waechter and Tania Golden, brought the legendary cabaret from the Theresienstadt concentration camp back to life and toured major German-speaking stages. French, English, and Russian versions followed.

As a concert pianist, Sergei brought fresh wind to the often rigid world of piano interpretation. He has been a welcome guest at festivals such as Julian Rachlin and Friends, Annecy Classic, and the Sviatoslav Richter Festival in Tarusa. Following in Franz Liszt's footsteps, he has created numerous transcriptions, transforming Liszt’s works into virtuoso violin concertos, which were performed by Julian Rachlin at the Herbstgold Festival at Schloss Esterházy. In 1997, Sergei performed at the Salzburg Festival as a pianist, joining Daphne Wagner and Richard Strauss in a dramatic reading of the correspondence between their legendary ancestors, Cosima Wagner and composer Richard Strauss. Upcoming performance at the same stage: July 31, as composer and creator, in a powerful program “Baby Yar. Voices” with the German theater star Dörte Lyssewsky

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​Byungwook Park - Viola - Collegiate Category - South Korea - Platinum Medalist

Byungwook Park is an 11th grade student at Seoul International School and a passionate violist recognized for his expressive tone and technical excellence. 

Currently attending Seoul International School as a Senior, Byungwook has served as the Viola principal in the High School Symphony Orchestra and High School Strings Orchestra for 3 years. Byungwook founded the IV quartet and has taught approximately 40 students, typically children of foreign immigrants, over the past three years, alongside his counterparts. Through such outreach, he has instilled musical passion and skill in his students and has hosted annual concerts featuring them.

In 2025, he appeared as a guest soloist with the Grand Philharmonic Orchestra, performing William Walton’s Viola Concerto under the direction of Maestro Hoon Seo at Yongsan Art Hall. His artistry has earned him numerous accolades on the international stage, including 3rd Place at the 2023 American Classical Young Musician Award, 1st Place at the 2023 Kings Peak Music Competition, and a Silver Medal at the 2024 Green Innovation Challenge. At the 2024 Best Classical Musicians Awards, he received the Gold Prize for Best Modern Period Music, the Special Award for Superior Technique, and the Platinum Prize for Best Musician in the 14–17 age category. His achievements also include the Platinum Prize in Modern A and the Special Performance Award at the 2024 Beethovinci International Music Competition, the Grand Prize at the 2024 International Seoul Competition, and a High Commendation in the Strings Category at the 2025 AMIS (Association for Music in International Schools). He was also named a finalist in both the 2025 North American Virtuoso International Music Competition and the 2025 American Virtuoso International Music Competition.

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Egshiglen Sainzaya – Yatga - Collegiate Category - Mongolia - Platinum Medalist

Egshiglen is a talented young musician who graduated in 2025 from the Mongolian State Conservatory, specializing in the yatga, Mongolia’s traditional zither, and distinguished for her tone, sensitivity, and technical mastery. Over seven years of dedicated study, she has mastered this instrument, blending classical technique with the rich heritage of Mongolian traditional music to create her own distinctive voice.

During her studies, she served for three years as concertmaster of the National Orchestra of Traditional Music, skillfully guiding the ensemble’s artistry and uniting its musicians in performance. In 2024, she founded the Yatga Quartet, collaborating with artists from Mongolia and abroad, and presented a graduation recital that was met with great success. Her work is
dedicated to introducing Mongolian traditional music to the world and preserving its cultural legacy.

As a role model for her peers and the next generation of musicians, she continues to advocate for the enduring value of the nation’s musical heritage. Egshiglen’s career is marked by numerous notable achievements. In 2019, she performed successfully in the Blue Silk Deel concert. Three years later, she earned third place at the Gerege First National Competition for Young Musicians. In 2023, she won first place with the Khatan Yatga ensemble and third place with the Aravt group at the Melody of Joy competition,
and also performed with Khatan Yatga at the Virtuoso Gala Concert. The following year, she secured second place with Khatan Yatga at the Spring Festival of Arts in the DPRK, participated in the New Names program, and achieved first place in the Professional “A” Category at the Star of Dunhuang 2nd Yatga Competition in Inner Mongolia. In 2025, she won first place in Category II at the ART-ISKUSSTVO International Traditional Musicians Competition in Ufa, Russia, and became a finalist in the American Virtuoso International Music Competition. Through her artistry, Egshiglen bridges the serene, meditative sound of the Mongolian yatga
with the creativity of contemporary composition, creating a connection that resonates deeply with audiences around the world.

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​Taylor Louise Fong - Voice (Pop) - Junior Category - Malaysia - Gold Medalist

​Taylor Louise is an award-winning young performer from Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, known for her expressive voice, emotional depth, and remarkable stage presence. At just 11 years old, she has represented Malaysia on multiple international stages, earning acclaim in both pop and musical theatre.

In 2024, Taylor was named Division Champion and awarded Gold First at the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Los Angeles. She later won top honors at the Asia Students Arts Festival — securing championship titles in both the Singapore preliminaries and International Finals in Hong Kong.
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In 2025, Taylor represented Malaysia at the Sanremo Junior World Finals in Italy, where she earned a Special Mention and placed among the Top 5 globally. She also won First Prize in Musical Theatre and Pop Song at the Song International Singing Competition UK.
Her accolades include Absolute First Prize at Golden Prestige International, Platinum Award at GYMC, Champion at GASCA International, and the Saint-Saëns Special Award for Superior Interpretation, along with Platinum and Gold Awards in Vocal Pop and Musical at the Saint-Saëns International Music Competition.​

In August 2025, Taylor performs at the Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music in London and stars as the youngest cast member in Dreamweaver The Musical, Sarawak’s first English musical, debuting nationally at PJPAC.

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​Maya Kim - Violin - Youth Category - USA - Gold Medalist

Maya started playing violin at age 4, under the instruction of Lee-Anne Fenwick. During the pandemic, she started lessons with Kelley McGarry through the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She currently studies primarily under Kor’ee Jackson at the Louisville Academy of Music, and is co-leader of the virtual chamber orchestra at The Academy at Laurel Springs. In addition to being a gold medalist at the North American Virtuoso International Music Competition, she was a silver medalist at the Quebec International Music Competition. In addition to violin, she is an Open-Championship level competitive Irish dancer, and enjoys playing Irish dance music and other fiddle tunes in addition to classical music. 

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Elise Hoang - Voice - Youth Category - USA - Silver Medalist 

Elise Hoang is a 13-year-old musician with a strong passion for the arts. She began studying classical piano at age 4 and recently started vocal training, focusing on musical theater. In 2024, she achieved First Place at the San Francisco Innovative Music Competition, as well as Second Place honors in both the Great Composers Competition and the Prodigy International Music Competition. Continuing her success in 2025, she earned the Gold Medal at the Trinity International Music Competition.

Elise loves performing and finds great joy in sharing music with others.
​She looks forward to continuing her growth as both a pianist and a singer. Outside of music, she enjoys science, painting and writing, always exploring new ways to express her creativity.

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Vito Hsu - Cello - Collegiate Category - USA -  Silver Medalist

Vito Hsu is a 17-year-old high school student currently attending Arcadia High School in California and he is also a member of the school orchestra. Vito began learning the piano in third grade and the cello in fourth grade. His family's love for music inspired him to start learning musical instruments from an early age.
In addition to his passion for music, Vito is also strong in sports. Music and Sports are an almost inseparable part of his life, which makes him open-minded, cheerful, and healthy.
Vito has achieved outstanding results in various music competitions, including winning a silver medal in the NAVI competition, a gold medal in the Quebec competition and a second place medal in the VIVALDI international competition. He is constantly improving and enhancing his progress as he grows. His positive learning attitude and dedication are truly admirable and worth learning from.

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Victor Ghinita - Piano - Junior Category - USA - Bronze Medalist 

Victor Ghinita is an 8-year-old pianist with a deep love for playing piano and exploring the world of music. He began his piano journey at the age of 4 at the South Shore Piano School in Quincy, Massachusetts. He later continued his studies at the renowned Qatar Music Academy, one of the leading music institutions in the Middle East.
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Victor has already achieved distinction in both Grade 1 and Grade 2 ABRSM Piano Performance Exams, a testament to his dedication, discipline, and musical talent. With each performance, he continues to grow as a young musician, developing both his technique and expressive ability.
Victor values learning through both formal instruction and shared musical experiences. He draws inspiration from his teachers’ guidance as well as from his peers, often participating in piano recitals where he not only performs but also observes and appreciates the talents of fellow musicians. He finds joy in sharing music with others, while also gaining inspiration from the talents around him.

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Presenting NAVI Winner's Biographies from Last Year (2024)

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​Mia Robarts  - Violin - USA - Youth Category - Absolute Platinum Medalist 

Mia Robarts, 16, began playing the violin at age 6 and made her orchestral debut at age 9.  She currently studies with renowned pedagogue Elizabeth Faidley, of the Manhattan School of Music.  Mia has performed at several prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as abroad in Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest, and Barcelona.   A three-time alumnus of the Heifetz Summer Institute, Mia has played in masterclasses with Midori, Augustin Hadelich, Lisa Batiashvili, and Carolin Widmann, and Pekka Kuusisto.  In addition to her passion for the violin and her dog Penny, Mia enjoys drawing, gaming, and also volunteers regularly at her local food pantry and as a “strings buddy” mentoring younger local violinists.  Mia has an engaged following on instagram (@mia_robarts_violin), where she shares her musical progress and experiences with other aspiring violinists and musicians.

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​Andrea Tarozzi - Jazz Piano - Italy - Professional Category - Platinum Medalist

​Andrea Tarozzi obtained his V.O. diploma in Piano in 1989 from the “L. Campiani” Conservatory in Mantua with top marks. After graduating, he dedicated himself to the study of jazz, studying with esteemed musicians such as Stefano Battaglia, Paolo Birro, Pietro Tonolo, Kenny Barron, and Barry Harris in New York. In 2000, he earned a three-year V.O. diploma in Jazz Music from the “F.A. Bonporti” Conservatory in Trento, studying under Franco d'Andrea. A decade later, in 2010, he graduated with honors with a second-level academic diploma in "Jazz Musical Disciplines - Piano" from the Rovigo Conservatory, where he studied with Marco Tamburini and Marcello Tonolo.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with various musicians on the Italian jazz scene, performing in groups ranging from duos to orchestras. His discography includes "Blues for Elis" (2003) with the Andrea Tarozzi Trio, "Shades of Carol" (2005) with the Carol Sudhalter Quintet, "Our Songbook" (2007) with Andrea Tarozzi & Stefano Benini Duo, and "TSP The South Project" (2014). He also contributed to Chiara Santagiuliana’s "Italian Boogie" (2015), "Sam Most & The Italian Friends" (2015), and Marco Palmieri’s "Acoustic" (2016), available exclusively on Spotify. Further, he worked with the Italian Jazz Project Orchestra on "Horus" (2016), and the Palmieri, Soldano, Tarozzi Trio on "Heavy Swing" (2017), also available only on Spotify. His live recordings include "Live in S. Anna Arresi" (2014) with Flut3ibe, released by Nu Bop Records in 2017, and "Live in Croatia" (2021) with the Luca Donini Quartet. Most recently, he released "In the Roy’s Mood" (2023) with the Andrea Tarozzi Trio.
He has performed at numerous significant concerts, including the Mantova Jazz Festival in July 2000 with Mauro Negri and the Mantuan Jazz Musicians, the presentation of "Blues for Elis" at La Fontana Jazz Club in Verona in May 2003, and securing a second-place tie at the Jazz Pianist Competition in Ostra in July 2003. Other notable performances include the Illasi Art Festival in October 2005, Alexanderplatz in Rome in December 2005 with the Carol Sudhalter Quintet, and multiple appearances at the Garda Jazz Festival with the Future Orchestra conducted by Luca Donini in July 2011 and 2013. He also performed at the Vallagarina Jazz Festival in August 2013 with Flut3ibe, the Rubano Jazz Festival in July 2014 with the TSP Project, and the S. Anna Arresi Jazz Festival in December 2014 with Flut3ibe.
In October 2016, he played with the Sandro Gibellini Quartet at the Cohen Jazz Club in Verona and with the Luca Donini Quartet at Monselice Jazz. His performances at the Isola Jazz Session in Isola della Scala (VR) included quintet sessions in August 2017 and July 2019, and a trio session in July 2018. He returned to the Garda Jazz Festival in June 2018 with the Luca Donini Quartet and performed at the Pola Jazz Festival in Pola, Croatia, with the Luca Donini Quartet in August 2021.

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Jacorey Leung - Piano - Hong Kong - Pre-Junior Category - Gold Medalist 

Jacorey Leung is a 6-year-old extraordinary young musician based in Hong Kong. He began his piano journey at the age of 3 under the guidance of his dedicated piano teacher, Dr. Jessica Guo; by the age of 5, he achieved an impressive score of 143 with distinction in his ABRSM grade 5 piano exam. But piano isn't the only instrument he's interested in. He has also been learning cello, with Mr. Hilson Yip for over a year. He quickly rose to prominence as the principal cellist of the Fusion Youth Orchestra, captivating audiences with his musical prowess in numerous shows and concerts. He just had his concert with cello at Carnegie Hall New York.

Jacorey's musical journey continues to sparkle as he secured numerous international and local championships, including the 9th HK Youth Piano Competition, 7th HK Music Talent Music Competition 2022, and the 75th and 76th HK Music Festivals.
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Recently, Jacorey's school is sponsoring his latest musical pursuit: learning the Tuba. This support enables him to further expand his musical horizons. He wishes to use his music to inspire those around him and bring joy to everyone!

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Angelina Lee - Piano - Canada - Professional Category - Gold Medalist 

​Angelina is a University of Alberta after-degree Music student studying the piano with Dr. Zhenni Li-Cohen with a plan to pursue a Master's in Piano Performance. She began learning the piano at the age of 6 in South Korea. Despite taking a break from piano lessons for several years due to personal reasons, she was able to resume playing again in the winter of 2022 with the firm dream of performing and teaching the piano to spread the joy of music playing and inspire others to pursue what excites their heart.
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In 2023-2024, she performed on the piano and percussion with the University of Alberta’s University Symphony Orchestra (USO) and concert band. The 2024 North American Virtuoso International Music Competition was the second piano competition she entered since she resumed playing the piano professionally. She achieved a silver award in the Quebec Music competition shortly before receiving the gold medal in the 2024 NAVI competition. She plans to be involved in more performance and competition opportunities to build her musical skills and professional experiences.

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Eleisen Suh - Voice - South Korea - Youth Category - Silver Medalist 

​Eleisen (Ellie) Suh, is a 14-year-old girl from Seoul, South Korea. From the age of 7, she has been constantly exposed to a musical environment. She has been in multiple school productions such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where she played Willy Wonka, the Little Mermaid where she played Ursula, and Shrek Jr. where she played the storyteller. Ellie has also been in her school's choir program for the past three years, being awarded merits such as the best soloist award, alongside the overall best middle school choir student award. Recently, Ellie was given the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, and she truly hopes to continue to pursue music in the future, as it is her passion.

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Langxing Chen - Piano - USA - Youth Category - Silver Medalist 

Langxing Chen was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. At 12 years old, he is currently a 6th grader. Langxing began playing the piano at the age of 4 and has been dedicated to it for 8 years. He also plays the violin in his school orchestra. His favorite musician is Beethoven, whose music he enjoys for its passion and power.

​In addition to his musical interests, Langxing is an avid student-athlete and serves as the captain of both his school’s basketball and American football teams.

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