Ivette Chen is a cellist and a Harvard University graduate. With her mom and close friends, Ivette co-founded the non-profit Giving Harmony as a way to help others in need through music. She aspires to be a neurosurgeon in the future.

There are people in the world who do not have the privileges that are present in our life. Let’s help those people gain those benefits. Each note played out extends a helping hand.

Bella L. Huang, a senior at Valencia High School, has been playing music since a young age and hopes to support and uplift others by sharing music with them. She enjoys serving her community, whether through music or other nonprofit work. Bella also loves traveling, playing cards, and reading.

I hope music can be the bridge that connects us together.

Chloe Qian, 16, is a junior in the Pianist Program at the Orange County School of the Arts, studying with Dr. Sarkis Baltaian. An award-winning pianist and Junior Chamber Music Honor Member, she enjoys sharing music through performance and is proud to support Giving Harmony’s mission of serving the community through music.

A life without music is a life not worth living. When there’s a problem, music is your solution.

Jena Min, a junior at El Dorado High School, has been practicing contemporary vocal music for 5 years, and was self-taught from ages 4-11. She is heavily involved in her school’s choral program that is decorated with SCVA awards, and is a part of their Student Council. Besides music, Jena enjoys serving her community and has a passion for the medical field.

Music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch. - Debasish Mridha

From a young age, Bella W. Huang has enjoyed music and the arts. Over her piano career, she has attended many competitions, participated in JCM, and used her passion for music to perform at recitals and nursing homes. She is now a sophomore at OCSA specializing in Visual Arts.

Where words fail, music speaks.

Jacquelyn Cheng, age thirteen, is an eighth grader at Heritage Oak Private Education. She studied piano privately from the age of seven. Then, she started playing the violin in second grade. After five years of playing the violin, Jacquelyn switched to viola. Currently, she receives dedicated instructions from Dr. Amanda Yang. Participating in the Satori Summer Music Festival, Jacquelyn earned first place in the Satori Strings Contest for Viola in 2023 and second place in 2024. Since 2021, Jacquelyn has played in the award winning Ivy Chamber Strings Orchestra, conducted by Mr. Brandon Miller. The group participated in the National-wide Heritage Festival Orchestra Competition organized by WorldStrides and received the Gold Award, Adjudicator Award, and Outstanding Orchestra Award. They even got invited to perform on the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, New York, and received unanimous praise from four national-level judges. In her free time, Jacquelyn loves helping at her school’s library and drawing.

Cathy Chen, nineteen years old, is a pianist and guitarist who is currently attending the University of California - San Diego. She is actively involved in cancer genomics computational research in the university’s Ongkeko Lab. Her passion extends beyond music and academics, as she volunteers monthly at a free clinic in Ensenada, Mexico to help the local underserved communities. Cathy aspires to work in the medical field in the future to help people at their most vulnerable times.

I can make a change in the world while enjoying music. Now that’s what you call two birds with one stone.

A passionate flutist, Evelyn Wu has been playing and performing for over 10 years. She has been a part of many well established ensembles including the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble from 2021 to 2023 and Orange County Youth Wind Ensemble from 2020 to 2021. This year, she is exploring new musical genres with the jazz band at Brown University, where she studies organismal biology. Besides music, Evelyn is involved in several other organizations at Brown including Model UN, Science Olympiad, and Quizbowl. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, reading, and playing video games with friends.

Using music, I want to do for some what I wish I could do for all.

Vella Feng is a pianist and artist who is currently studying at the University of Southern California. She is also the director and screenwriter for multiple short films she did and was awarded several international prizes. With a wide range of hobbies and artistic accomplishments, her ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between the visual arts and the digital world, using the passion for both to connect people on a deeper, more immersive level.

Giving harmony isn't just a place where we play music, but a place we bring love and joys.

As a dedicated violinist and pianist, Kerry finds solace and inspiration in music, cherishing the memories she has made through her performing arts journey. With nearly a decade of experience in orchestras and smaller ensembles such as the Chamber Music Institute, she now continues her musical pursuits as a violinist in the Johns Hopkins Orchestra. Currently a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University, Kerry is pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Statistics. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton and ping pong with friends, reading, exploring campus life, and discovering new hobbies. Looking ahead, Kerry aims to advance her research in computer science while sharing her passion for music with others.

Music accentuates purpose, enhances connections, and evokes emotions. May music connect us all to give each other a helping hand.

Anna Huang is passionate about storytelling through musical performance. She has a minor in music and has performed at several halls including Carnegie Hall twice. Aside from music, Anna is studying political science at UCSD and hopes to work in international law to advocate for her community.

Music is a language with no barriers, meant to be shared as a gift from soul to soul.

Thomas Wu is a pianist currently studying structural engineering at the University of California, San Diego. He is also an avid photographer who has received multiple state-level awards for his unique composition of photos. Besides art, he enjoys playing golf, tinkering with mechanical keyboards, and running a small business that sells parts and services. Some day, Thomas hopes to work as a civil engineer, designing road and airport infrastructure to increase accessibility and safety for everyone.

Music brings a warm glow to my vision, thawing mind, and muscle from their endless wintering. - Haruki Murakami

As a senior at the Webb Schools, Tina Hou has been playing the piano since a young age and hopes to support her community with music. She has won multiple awards in musical events such as the MTAC Piano Ensemble Festival, Orange County North Solo Competition, and more. She was also chosen as the second place winner for the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition Fall 2022, giving her the opportunity to perform at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in the summer of 2023. In addition to playing the piano, Tina holds the position of captain on one of her school’s FTC robotics teams, where she serves as a designer and builder. In her free time, Tina engages with her passions for languages and computer science.

Music is a timeless voyage across seas of passions, carrying stories of the heart.

Nadia Wang is a second-year biology major at Stanford University, and started playing piano at the age of 4. In addition to playing piano, Nadia enjoys singing, traveling, and arranging music. She has made many achievements, including soloing with the Southern California Philharmonic, performing at Carnegie Hall, and more.

Through music, I would like to make change and help those who are less fortunate in this world.

Darell Lien has played violin since age six and also explores piano, guitar, and singing. He is an incoming sophomore EE major at UCLA and has earned MTAC Certificate of Merit Advanced Level with State Honors. He enjoys Gundam modeling, aviation, engineering, games, new hobbies, and time with friends.

Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable. - Leonard Bernstein

Samantha Huang is currently a senior at Diamond Bar High School. She loves performing with the award-winning Marquis show choir and helping out with the school’s class committee. Besides singing, she enjoys taking dance classes, watching musicals, exploring new places, and spending time with her family, friends, and dog. In her free time, she takes part in volunteering at various events through her school’s clubs, as well as competing with the FBLA organization. With this program, she hopes to showcase her positive energy when performing to bring happiness to others.

Music is a universal language. To me, music is a way to express and communicate emotions to people you may not know.

Ella is a current Senior at Troy High School. She has always had a love for music and has explored her passion through various instruments including piano, violin, guitar, and also singing. She has achieved Advanced Level 10 for Piano in MTAC’s Certificate of Merit Program and also played violin in the Orange County Youth Symphony. She also won various singing competitions including Concert Artists International Competition and The Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition giving her the opportunity to sing at distinguished concert halls such as Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Hall. Outside of music, Ella is a dedicated competitive archer who is a 3x state champion and ranked 10th in the nation in her division. Ella’s love for community service drives her to use her talents to make a positive impact, blending her artistic pursuits with a commitment to helping others.

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. - Plato

Chloe Wei is a freshman at Pomona College and a pianist, cellist, violinist, and aspiring composer. Moved by the work of Giving Harmony, she founded AMEG (Alliance in Music, Education, and Growth), bringing students from the U.S., Taiwan, and Costa Rica together through music to make a change.

David Wong, age 17, is an incoming freshman at Stanford University. He has played with ensembles like the Colburn School of Music’s Youth Orchestra. As a OC Register Artist of the Year Finalist, he has won numerous awards, like the City of Bellflower Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Concerto Competition.

There are two things that bring me joy in life: playing music and applesauce 🍎

Grace is currently a Junior attending Yorba Linda High School. She began to play the piano at the young age of six and has developed a love for music since then. Grace has won in various competitions including state Bach competitions, Theme Festival, Musical Arts, Southwestern Youth Music Festival, and many more Music Teachers Association of California Competitions. In 2024, she was selected as a MTAC Certificate of Merit Panel Honors musician and won first prize in the Golden classical Music International Competition, receiving the opportunity to perform at Disney hall. Beside piano, Grace enjoys listening to her favorite artists on repeat and watching la la land for the nth time. At school, Grace loves being a part of the speech and debate team as well as the school’s business program, where she competed and placed at the state level.

Where words fail, music speaks. - Hans Christian Anderson

Cindy Wang, 16, is currently a junior at Troy High School. She started playing the flute at the age of 9. Since then she has participated and won prizes in several competitions. In 2022, she won 1st place in Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, 2nd place in American Protégé Woodwinds & Brass Competition, and 2nd place in Golden Classical Music Awards. She performed at Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2023 and has been invited to perform at the Paris Philharmonie and the Beethoven House in Germany. In 2024, she won 1st place in Golden Classical Music Awards and was the California state finalist of the VOCE competition. Although competing brings her joy, she believes the greatest thing you can do with music is to help others. She has maintained her Music4Change club since 2023, which has supported her school’s underfunded music program and was able to purchase several instruments and cases through busking. Cindy hopes to impact more through participating in Giving Harmony.

I couldn’t really picture a world without music. It would be quite boring. - Sabrina Carpenter

Samantha Luo is a student at Troy High School. She has played piano for about 6 years and passed MTAC Certificate of Merit Piano Level 10 with state honors. Outside of academics and music, she enjoys reading, scrapbooking, and watching sitcoms. She hopes to share with others the sense of beauty and enjoyment that she finds in music.