Young Pianist Ready to Represent New Jersey at Keyboard Competition

Kelly Jin, an international student came from Beijing, China, who is studying abroad in New Jersey, will travel to Pennsylvania to representing the state of New Jersey in the Music Teachers National Association Senior Piano Competition, in January. 

Kelly is a Division Finalist in the MTNA Senior Piano Competition. 

Living with a host family of Robert and Heidi Rittenhouse, Kelly earned this opportunity after winning the Eastern Division of the Senior Piano Competition. Kelly has been studying the piano for 10 years and is currently a student of Dr. Julia Lam.

A junior at Rutgers Preparatory School, Kelly achieved first prizes in both NJMTA and MTNA competition, and she will perform at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in December. 

In 2008, she was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, as a student of Zhang Zhiwei. In the same year, she was awarded the First Prize at the third Southeast International Piano Competition in Jakarta, Indonesia.

She was also invited to perform at the Forbidden City Music Hall for the Chopin Bicentennial in 2010. Kelly came to America in June, 2011, and was awarded a scholarship to attend the second Texas State Piano Festival in San Marcos, Texas. 

The MTNA Senior Piano Competition takes place on Jan. 10-12, 2014, during the MTNA Eastern Division Conference. The winner of this competition will compete in the National Finals during the MTNA National Conference in Chicago, in March. 

The three-tiered MTNA competitions begin at the state level. Winners of each State Competition advance to the division competition. Division winners then proceed to the National Competition Finals.