Post date: Feb 10, 2016 5:40:16 PM

Irene Koc wins the first place of Senior Duet Piano Performance Competition at the Music Teachers National Association’s Division Competition on January 31, 2016 and will represent the Eastern Division to compete at the MTNA National Competition in San Antonio, Texas on April 2-6, 2016.

Irene Koc, the daughter of Ut-Va Koc and Wen-Ling Kuo, earned the opportunity after winning the MTNA NJ State Piano Competition. A senior at the Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Irene has been studying piano for 12 years and is currently a student of Dr. Julia Lam.

Irene made her Lincoln Center debut at 8, and is a public performance winner from the MTNA Solo, Duet Competitions, NJMTA Young Musician’s, Composer Commissioned,

Cecilian Young Artist, NJMEA, Steinway Society Piano, Princeton Festival Piano, Crescendo International, and National Young Musicians Showcase Competitions resulting in performances at Alice Tully Hall of Lincoln Center, Zankel Hall, Weill Hall of Carnegie Hall, and Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center. She was also the selected winner in the 14th Annual Showcase for Exceptional Young Artists from Crescent Concerts.

In 2013, she was invited to Budapest, Hungary to perform for the Hubay Jenő Music School and the Rózsavölgyi Márk Arts School. She is a recipient of the Cecilian Club Scholarship. In December she will perform at the Grace Rainey Rodgers auditorium at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City as a winner of the Cecilian Young Artist Competition.

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.

To receive more information about the MTNA National Competitions, including competition rules and applications please contact MTNA national headquarters at (888) 512-5278, mtnanet@mtna.org or visit the website at www.mtna.org.

Music Teachers National Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of 22,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to advancing the value of music study and music making to society and to supporting the professionalism of music teachers. Founded in 1876, Music Teachers National Association is the oldest professional music association in the United States.