Charlotte Meng, 13, is a 7th-grade student at Wydown Middle School. She studies violin with Pavel Ilyashov.

She won First Place at the Little Mozarts International Competition and the Crescendo International Music Competition in 2025, both with invited performances at Carnegie Hall. Additional honors include the Superior Solo Award at the Mid-America Music Festival (2024), Honorable Mention at the MMTA State Auditions (2025), and the Judge’s Choice Award at the Sonatina Festival (2026). She performs as a first violinist in the CMS Young People’s Symphonic Orchestra and serves as a co-concertmaster of the Wydown Chamber Orchestra.

Nikolai Mckinney has been playing piano since the age of 5. He is the 1st prize winner of the 2024 Missouri Music Teacher Association State competition in Springfield, MO as well as the 2nd prize winner of the 2025 Missouri Music Teacher Association State competition in Columbia, MO. Nikolai is also a recipient of an Honorable Mention award at the Missouri Music Teacher Association competition in Kansas City, MO.

Nikolai has gotten Superior ratings four years in a row at the Piano Sonatina Festivals in the St. Louis region.

Nikolai became the 1st Prize Winner at the One World Day Music Competition and as a result he has been invited to perform at the 21st Euterpe International Music Competition held in Italy. Nikolai has previously became 2nd prize winner of the International Music Competition “Best Kabalevsky Performance” in honor of the 116th anniversary of the birth of Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky.

Nikolai’s performances have been featured at the annual Spivakov International Music Festival “Moscow meets friends”. Nikolai is student of Jennier Judd and Marina Sakharova.

Douglas Aikin is a sophomore at Carlinville High School in Carlinville, Illinois. Currently studying with Dr. Joseph Welch, Doug has participated in masterclasses with Ian Hobson, Yuko Kato, Alla Voskoboynikova, and Pei-I Wang. He was named as the pianist for the 2024 ILMEA Honors Band, and placed second in the 2024 ISMTA Junior Piano Solo Competition South. In 2025, Doug broke a finger in his right hand 4 weeks prior to the ISMTA Senior Piano Solo Competition South forcing him to change his repertoire to all left handed music. Doug was proud to finish second in that competition.

Doug attended the Milikin Community Arts Academy Summer Piano Camp in 2023, 2024, and 2025 where he earned awards for outstanding piano student, best piano solo, best piano duet, and best piano improvisation. He also won the 2025 Milikin Piano Camp Competition. On April 19 Doug will play as the featured soloist in the newly commissioned piano concerto, “Beauty from Within,” by composer Ethan Brown. Doug is active in his high school’s scholastic bowl team and marching band and is looking forward to attending the Interlochen Intensive Piano program this summer.

Leanna Byers is a freshman at Lutheran High School South. She began singing in the sixth grade with the St. Louis Children’s Choirs and has since performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Ambassadors of Harmony, and the Gateway Mid-America Air Force Band. In addition to her choral work, Leanna has a strong passion for musical theater and most recently appeared in Lutheran South’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. In her free time, she enjoys ballet and art. She currently studies voice with Song Lyu at the Webster Community School.

Steven Shaw is a junior at Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS), who is currently taking lessons from Mr. James Czyzewski. Steven has been co-principal cellist of the highest orchestra of LHWHS - since he entered the school in 2023.

He has also been a member of the Missouri All-State Orchestra and the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra since his freshman year. Shaw has gone through the orchestra program at CMS of Webster University, including YPSO and the Preparatory Program.

Daniel Hu is an 8th-grade student at Sperreng Middle School. He started studying piano when he was five years old under the guidance of Mrs. Wen Shen. He has earned a few honors in competitions, including winning the MMTA State 7th-grade Division B in 2024, and second place at MMTA State 8th-grade Division A. Beyond competition, in 2025, he began community service by performing at a concert for seniors, and he is eager to continue playing alongside other young musicians.