Reina Ellie Hisada (9) from Deerfield, Illinois, is a fourth grader at Science and Arts Academy. She began studying piano at age of 8 as a student of Sueanne Metz. Reina has been competing in local, national and international piano competitions since 2018. In 2019 alone, she has been awarded several awards, which included a Gold medal in the 2019 Chicago Area Music Teachers association Sonata Sonatina Festival, 3rd prize in the Grandquist Music Competition in the Olympic level, 2nd Prize in the Great Composers Competition for Best Handel Performance, and 2nd Prize in the US New Star Piano Competition by Composer. She was a semi finalist in the 2019 Carmel Klavier International Piano Competition for Young Artists. In May 2019, Reina performed in the Weill Recital Hall of the Carnegie Hall as the 3rd prize winner of the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition. In September 2019, she performed in the Glaesener Saal, Musikverein of Vienna as the First Prize winner of the 2019 Vienna Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition in Junior Category.
In addition to her piano study, Reina is an avid string player, having been studying the violin since age of 4 as a student of Betty Haag-Kuhnke. As a member of the Magical Strings of Youth, she has performed in several prestigious venues including the Orchestra Hall and Ravinia Festival in Chicago area, Stern Auditorium of the Carnegie Hall in New York City, and in major historic venues in Lisbon, Portugal.
When not playing music, she can be found on a soccer field fiercely chasing the ball, quietly reading in her comfy bean bag, hanging out with friends or working on an art project. She is fluent in English and Japanese, and currently learning French at school. Reina enjoys traveling the world with her family. Her recent performance trip to Austria marked the 31st country she has visited so far.
