With three major competitions and a Christmas recital behind her, Ailis Nguyen has already made her family, teachers, friends, the Lahaina community and all of Maui very proud of her. PHOTO BY CINDY SCHUMACHER.

LAHAINA — Ailis Nguyen, fifth grade student at King Kamehameha III Elementary School in Lahaina, is an extraordinary pianist and violinist. At ten years old, she has already captivated people in Hawaii and internationally with her talent.

Her small fingers fly over the piano keys like that of a much older person playing for years.

The first time she competed on piano, in the 2021 Aloha International Piano Festival and Competition, she received third place. Earlier this year, in the 2022 Hawaii State Music Competition, she earned a second place.

An inspiration to all, Nguyen recently went to Japan to compete in the Osaka Competition as a finalist representing the United States. She also received Second Prize in her age division from the Chopin Avenue International Piano Competition this past spring.

Nguyen is studying with Ruth Murata-Eisen at the Maui Music Conservatory. Located in Queen Ka’ahumanu Center in Kahului, the conservatory has been serving the Maui community for over 30 years.

With six teachers, the conservatory specializes in piano and also includes a string program and a voice teacher. The teachers at the conservatory are well qualified to help students of all ages and experience advance to higher levels of performance.

Murata-Eisen herself takes only the most advanced piano students.

“In my 45 years of teaching, I have never seen a talent like Ailis!” Murata-Eisen exclaimed. “I wasn’t taking new students when I met her. However, she played three movements of a classical piece from memory for her audition. I have never experienced such a miraculous learning ability in my entire teaching life! She has a unique quality in her process of learning. She has perfect pitch and can therefore ‘hear’ the notes as soon as she reads them on the page. As soon as the notes are seen, the passage is immediately memorized and can be played flawlessly without too much repetitive practice.

“Given all that, Ailis’s best attribute is her humility. We can all learn from such a young soul this art of humility. It is a priceless gift in a world that seems to be only worried about how we can get to the top. A shining star, she will go far in her career.”

A prodigy is defined as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain at the level of an adult expert.

Ailis’s mother, Christine, said, “You never know when a child is ready to blossom. I first noticed Ailis’s skills at age four and was deeply moved hearing her play. Without lessons, she had an ear for what notes were being played — a rare gift and one that continues to develop. When she turned six years old, she took lessons in Lahaina with Ms. Norma Meis for a year. Then, when the pandemic hit, she just used her lesson book and played at home. She is basically self-taught. Now she plays like she’s known the pieces for years, and many wonder how she is able to portray so many of the pieces’ emotions at such a young age.

“Ailis has an enormous ability to practice, learn and memorize all the pieces, and she also composes her own music. Murata-Eisen saw the exceptional talent in Ailis and wanted to give her more time, but tuition cost is very high. Ideally, Mrs. Ruth wanted to have her come three times a week; however, we could not afford to do all of it. Surprisingly, Ailis never mentions her musical accomplishments. Most of her teachers at Kam III never even knew she played the piano. Ailis simply says, ‘Everyone has their own talents.’ “

Meis, Ailis’s first piano teacher, said, “She is a natural! She is very expressive with her music, showing maturity far beyond her age. Ailis is a motivated, diligent student, and I am thrilled to see her hard work being acknowledged and rewarded.”

Interestingly, Ailis continually asked to play the violin, too. With two other children at home, and a COVID-19-impacted budget, Christine admitted, “It was difficult to afford so many lessons.”

However, after a while, Christine was able to sign her up for violin lessons with Teresa Skinner, founder and director of Suzuki-Maui Talent Education and Development at Murata-Eisen’s Maui Music Conservatory.

Skinner said, “This ten-year-old is really something! She is inherently musical. Her phrasing is impeccable. She plays on a small, half-size violin that frustrates her because the sound isn’t like that of the bigger violins and very expensive bows. Believe me, she has quite the sense of tone!”

Nevertheless, while at the conservatory studio for violin lessons, Ailis heard other students playing the piano and was genuinely drawn back to it.

Presently, Ailis is taking piano lessons for an hour each week with Murata-Eisen and 30 minutes on the violin with Skinner, who is also the principal violist for the Pops and Maui Chamber Orchestras.

Skinner teaches the Suzuki Method at the conservatory, privately, and at Haleakala Waldorf School in Kula. Named after its founder, the late Japanese Violinist Shinichi Suzuki, the method applies the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music.

Both a music curriculum and a teaching philosophy, the method aims to create an environment for learning music that parallels the linguistic environment of acquiring a native language. Skinner has seen the immeasurable benefits of music education firsthand and is quick to point out that there is more to it than scales and chords.

“Music education is part of a well-rounded education,” Skinner emphasized. “It fosters the development of self-motivation, as well as verbal and musical intelligence. It provides the life skills students need to make decisions, juggle multiple tasks and foster excellent character.”

Recently, Ailis played the violin with Skinner’s string students in the 20th annual Christmas Holiday Concert at Makawao Union Church. She also performed a piano solo, a spectacular arrangement of “Joy to the World,” and received a lengthy standing ovation.

She joined the 45-member string ensemble that presented works by Holst, Vivaldi and Leroy Anderson along with traditional holiday favorites, and played in every piece presented.

Emcee and Maui performer Robert Wills said, “Unbelievably, Ailis did not read the music for her piano solo. She played from memory. Her standing ovation came with many rounds of applause. She truly touched the audience. Ailis is a young lady to keep your eye on. She’s certainly on my A-list!”

Ailis’s vision for her musical career is to play both piano and violin well. She loves classical music, which appears to be an inherent part of her. Her favorite composers are Chopin and Liszt, two of the most difficult to play.

She practices every day for about 30 minutes to an hour on piano and about a half-hour on violin. The Suzuki Christmas concert was her very first Maui recital experience with other performers.

“It was exciting to practice and perform with the other students,” she explained. “The more we rehearsed, the more we were able to get the pieces right. It was a wonderful experience of teamwork. I love both instruments! Actually, I also like other instruments but I can’t learn them all because I still like to play around, watching TV and playing games.

“My hope is to continue to share my enthusiasm for the instruments I love. Violin is very calming, and the melody is very beautiful. What I love about piano is very interesting. It coordinates with all parts of my body. Everything has to work together. The piano makes me feel happy and I have lots of fun while I am playing. Both instruments give me treasured moments,” she continued.

“I would like to encourage other students to listen to classical music. So many children are not exposed to that style and sound. I would like to inspire them to learn about the beauty and eloquence of classical music — maybe even teach one day when I am older. Music brings me such peace and joy; I must share it!”

The Lahaina News wishes Ailis the best of luck as she continues to pursue her dreams and inspires others to achieve theirs. Happy Holidays!