Sarah Ellyce Chen has been studying under the tutelage of Ya-Li Chung Pekowski since she was 5 ½ years old. She is a four time All-State winner of the Texas Federation of Music Clubs State Festival and Competition. She is a five-time 1st place winner of the Lubbock Music Teachers Association’s Sonatina and Sonata Contest. She is a 1st place winner in the Junior Division of the Wayland Baptist University Piano Competition. She has won several competitions with the Great Composers Competitions, including a 1st place winner of the 2018 Rising Talents of Americas competition, 2nd place winner of the 2019 Music of Northern Europe, and a 3rd place winner of the 2019 Best of Chopin. Sarah has also been playing the violin for 5 years, is going on her 4th year as a member of the Youth Orchestras of Lubbock, and a former concert-mistress of the Philharmonic Orchestra. She enjoys Science and Math, consistently placing 1st for the Regional University Interscholastic League in the past few years. She also won 1st in Math and Science in the Regional TAME (Texas Alliance of Minorities in Engineering) and is going on to the State competition. Sarah is also a certified first degree black belt in Tang Soo Do karate and a blue belt in American Kenpo karate. She enjoys reading, travelling, sewing, socializing, participating in church activities, and learning new things. Her dream is to one day play at Carnegie Hall. She hopes to become a doctor when she grows up and is passionate about empowering girls to become leaders and giving a voice to those who have none.
