Eleven-year-old Dylan Mies has been playing piano since he was 5 years old.
Dylan Mies laid his hands on a piano for the first time five years ago. This year, the now 11-year-old won the grand prize at his first piano competition. Dylan, who is a sixth grader at Moorestown Upper Elementary School, competed in Music-Fest’s Rising Talents festival in February, and his stellar performance qualified him to perform at the Winners’ Concert, held at the Kimmel Center’s Academy of Music.
The festival is led by experienced judges and is for student ensembles, instrumentalists and vocalists from as young as 5 years old to as old as 25. Depending on the outcome of the audition, students are invited to play at either the Baruch Performing Arts Center, Carnegie Hall or the Academy of Music.
The competition aims to “provide young, talented musicians with opportunities to perform in front of an audience in some of the country’s finest music halls,” according to Music-Fest.
“I didn’t think I would [win,]” Dylan said on his grand prize.
Students are required to perform one piece by memory for the competition, and Dylan chose “Toccata Chromatica” by Dennis Alexander with his piano teacher. He played the same song at the Winner’s Concert, where he received lots of support.
“My parents and grandparents were there,” Dylan said. “All the people who also won were there and their parents watched.”
The concert featured pianists, vocalists, cellists, harpists, violinists and chamber ensembles.
Dylan’s mom, Kate, says she encouraged Dylan to explore music from a young age because it’s something she wishes she would have done.
“I love listening to the piano and I took lessons as a kid and I quit and I regret it,” Kate said, adding her family’s Korean culture also played a role in encouraging Dylan to pursue the piano as a hobby.
Two years ago, Dylan starting practicing with a new piano teacher and his talent really began to take off.
“She helps me with reading music and listening to it,” Dylan said.
Although he only meets with his teacher weekly, Dylan practices for at least 30 minutes every day and completes music theory homework outside of class time.
Dylan isn’t just a musician, he’s an athlete as well — he plays soccer, golf and basketball. Like most 11 year olds, Dylan spends lots of time playing outside with his friends and jumping on his trampoline.
Dylan says he plays piano to have fun and entertain himself, and Kate sees the benefits.
“I think it expands their minds to not just focus on video games and school work,” Kate said of child musicians. “I think it helps them to be more creative.”
