Gabrielle Chou, Junior Composition winner is a 13-year-old pianist, violinist, and composer. She studies violin with Carol Cole, piano and music theory with Maria Gomez, and composition with Donald Waxman. She is currently the concertmaster of the Florida Youth Orchestra (principal / senior division).

Since 2000, Gabrielle has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors in the Florida state competitions (by FFMC* and FSMTA**) for piano, violin and composition events. At the 2008 FFMC state competition in Jacksonville, she became the first place winners of both violin senior concerto and piano senior concerto, these are the two top awards for the 1,500 participants. In 2006, Gabrielle was the first place winner of the Blüthner Piano Competition. In 2007 and 2008, she was the recipient of the Steinway Virtuoso Scholarship Award at the Pompano Beach Piano Competition.

Gabrielle has also received honors and prizes nationally and internationally. In the summer of 2006, she had her first international competitions for both violin and piano. She was awarded 4th place in the "XIII Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition" in Italy, May 22-27. A few weeks later, as one of the only two Americans admitted to the competition, she received a special award and cash prize in the "10th Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists" in Germany, August 6-13. This is only the second time for an American to receive an honor at this world-renowned competition. In 2008, Gabrielle traveled to Asia and competed in the 12th Taipei International Chopin Piano Competition with another 137 contestants. After two weeks for two long rounds, she was selected to be one of the eight finalists. It was a great experience for her to play Chopin Concerto No.2 with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra.

March, 2006, “Miss Chopin” (presented by the Foundation Director) performed one of her own piano compositions "Homage to Chopin" to open the annual Chopin Foundation’s Young Pianists Concert. Also in 2006, her piano composition “Etude in Thirds" let her become one of the national finalists in both NFMC** and MTNA** composition competitions. She’s "among the nation's finest young composers" - Executive Director of MTNA.

Gabrielle has played for Lang Lang, Murray Perahia, Susan Starr, Elmar Oliviera and many other prominent musicians. For the last four years, she has annually performed as a soloist with the Coral Gables Chamber Symphony for the classical music program "American Ideal" (I, II, III and IV), recording live for public television (PBS/WLRN). She’s also performed live for the classical music radio station WXEL every year.

As a music theory student, she participates in FSMTA written and aural theory and Student Day Honor Recital. In 2008, she completed the written and aural theory (level 12) with perfect scores.

Gabrielle has been performing for schools, churches, temples, museums, charities, weddings, nursing homes and retirement communities. Her television appearances, concert performance recordings, newspaper/magazine reports, and published photos are available on her website www. Kid Musician .com

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* FFMC = Florida Federation of Music Clubs / FSMTA = Florida State Music Teachers Association
**NFMC = National Federation of Music Clubs / MTNA = Music Teacher National Association