Ashley Raleigh
Bryan Liu
Ashley Raleigh is a 16-year-old Junior in high school. She began studying piano with Dr. Hye-Jung Hong, Missouri State University, at age 6. From 2008-2013, Ashley participated in Missouri Music Teacher Association competitions earning Honorable Mention, Runner-up, and Winner. In 2011, she was a finalist in the Starr Young Artist piano competition in Arkansas. Ashley was the Division I winner of the 2013 Augustana Lee International Piano competition in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2014, Ashley was invited to the Texas State International Piano Festival in San Marcos, Texas. She continued to challenge herself by participating in Music Teachers National Association competitions in 2014 and 2015, earning Honorable Mentions. In 2015 and 2016 Ashley placed second in the Beverly Roper competition. In 2015, she won the Springfield Youth Symphony Youth Talent Concerto competition and the Charles R. Hall Young Artist competition with the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra. In 2016, she got 1st place in the 10th grade solo and 10th-12th grade piano duet at the MMTA competition. In 2017, in the Great Composers Competition, Ashley received Second Prize in the Best Bartok Performance, First Prize in Masters of Piano Concerto, and First Prize in Best Liszt Performance. In 2018, Ashley and her duet partner were selected as Alternate in the West Central Division of MTNA.
In addition to piano, Ashley plays viola. She has been studying viola with Dr. Amy Muchnick, Missouri State University, since she was in the 5th grade. Ashley is currently a violist with the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra. Among Ashely’s other school activities, she is a member of the Central High School speech and debate team. This year, Ashley is a national qualifier for the National Speech and Debate Association competition.
Bryan Liu was born in March 27, 2001 in Columbia, MO. He has studied piano since the age of four, and began competing in the Missouri Music Teachers Association at the age of five. For six years, from 2006 to 2012, Bryan placed top three in MMTA, and won the competition in 2006, 2007, and 2011. From 2013 to 2017, Bryan has participated in the Music Teachers National Association competition, and has placed in the top three every time. Bryan also won the Beverly Roper Competition in 2015, received second place at the SYS Concerto Competition in 2017, and placed in the top 5 at the Kuleshov International Competition in 2018.
