ECU music student wins NC Symphony competition, other students named finalists

East Carolina University School of Music piano student Ritchie Bui was first prize co-winner in the North Carolina Symphony’s 2022 Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Concerto Competition Young Artist division in May.

East Carolina University piano student Ritchie Bui was a first prize co-winner in an N.C. Symphony competition. (Contributed photo)

Bui, a student of ECU piano professor Kwan Yi, performed Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G in the competition. As co-winner, Bui will perform with the N.C. Symphony during the 2022-23 season.

In addition, ECU piano student Jackson Klauke and ECU violin student Emily Lin were among the five Young Artist competition finalists. Klauke is a student of ECU professor Keiko Sekino and Lin is a student of professors Ara Gregorian and Hye-Jin Kim.

“We are extremely proud of our student finalists and winners,” School of Music Director Chris Ulffers said. “They have worked extremely hard, as have their teachers, preparing for the competition. The opportunity for Ritchie to be able to perform with the premier ensemble in the state will be life changing.”

The Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Youth Concerto Competition is North Carolina’s foremost performance competition for young instrumentalists. Young Artist candidates ages 18- 21 perform auditions viewed by the N.C. Symphony’s panel of judges. Finalists compete for cash awards and the chance to perform in concert with the symphony.