My Musical Journey

The Spark & Early Achievements (Ages 9–11)

• Age 9
  • The Discovery: Discovered by chance that he could play music he heard on the piano, which marked the inspiring beginning of his musical journey.
• Age 10
  • Competition Laurels: Won First Prize in the China Regional Competition of the Bastian International Piano Competition.
  • Rapid Progress: With just 10 lessons from Ms. Wei, he received the Special Award in the China Regional Competition of the Chopin International Piano Competition for Young Pianists.
  • Stage Accompaniment: Performed as the piano accompanist for the musical Flying Little Seeds at the National Library of China Theatre.
  • Early Composition & Mentorship: Self-taught in composition, he created original pieces including Never Stop, The light of light, and A Snowy Night. These pieces attracted significant attention from the music community. Renowned Chinese pianist Kong Xiangdong invited Nicholas to his home, offering warm encouragement to continue pursuing his passion.
• Age 11
  • Corporate Collaboration: Composed an original piece to commemorate SAP’s 50th anniversary and participated in the music video production.
  • Theoretical Foundation: Self-studied music theory and passed the ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory exam with Distinction, achieving a high score.

Moving to Singapore & Expanding Horizons (Ages 12–13)

• Age 12
  • International Transition: Moved to Singapore and enrolled at XCL World Academy (XWA). He joined the school orchestra and performed at the high school graduation ceremony.
  • Concert Soloist: Performed as a soloist at the Singapore Young Pianists’ Concert.
  • Classical Milestones: Passed the ABRSM Grade 8 Piano exam with Distinction, scoring an exceptional 143 marks.
  • Esplanade Debut: Invited by composer Zhou Jiongxun of the Composers Society of Singapore to perform a piano solo at a concert at the prestigious Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
• Two weeks before his 13th birthday
  • First SFCM Invitation: His original compositions attracted the attention of Professor Lennie Moore. Nicholas was invited to meet Professor Moore at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), participating in a intensive two-hour session on video game scoring.
  • First Studio Recording: Two days before his 13th birthday, he was invited to the underground recording studio at the Bowes Center, where he performed and recorded his own composition.
• Age 13
  • Musical Theater Leadership: Served as Assistant Music Director for the musical Flying Little Seeds during its Singapore performances, also taking responsibility for Chinese-English translation.
  • Global Competitions: Participated in the Berlin International Film Scoring Competition in Germany for the first time.

Hollywood Mentorship & Orchestral Scoring (Ages 14–15)

• Age 14
  • Berklee Summer Program: Attended Berklee College of Music’s Film Scoring Summer Program. Nicholas collaborated with three other emerging composers to complete a scoring exercise for a clip from the animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.
  • Master's Tribute: Emmy Award-nominated composer Matt paid a glowing tribute to the team’s achievement, recognizing their rare ability to distill the essence of the entire Star Wars musical legacy in just seven days and honor the original work through innovative scoring.
  • Industry Mentorship: Nicholas’s dedication, creativity, and exceptional sense of absolute pitch attracted the attention of several prominent Hollywood composers on the program’s mentoring team, including Tori Letzler, who has since become one of the regular mentors Nicholas turns to for guidance.
  • School Orchestra & Berlin: Participated in XWA's Performing Arts Week, composing an orchestral work for the school orchestra. He also participated in the Berlin International Film Scoring Competition for the second time.
  • Orchestra Interest: Following the Berlin competition, Nicholas continued sharing his scores with mentors for revision feedback. He received an invitation from Ms. Wei of the Resonance Orchestra, who, after internal discussions, agreed to begin rehearsing two of his competition entries.
• On his 15th birthday
  • ARSM Diploma: Took the rigorous ABRSM ARSM Piano Performance Diploma examination. Despite preparing entirely without a private tutor and independently arranging the complex 30-minute programme, he achieved a commendable result, earning his official ARSM Diploma.
• Age 15 (April 1–10)
  • London Royal Academy of Music Rehearsal: Invited to attend a professional rehearsal with the Resonance Orchestra at the Royal Academy of Music in London, involving more than a dozen musicians. The rehearsal featured two symphonic works composed by Nicholas.
  • Score Refinement & Documentary: During breaks, he consulted individual musicians playing different instruments to gain a deeper understanding of their capabilities, revising his scores accordingly. Working alongside the orchestra’s media team, he also completed an interview and filmed a behind-the-scenes documentary capturing his creative process.
• Age 15 (June 20–27) 🌟 [Added]
  • SFCM Technology & Applied Composition Summer Program: Selected as one of only eight young composers globally to attend the Summer Program in Technology and Applied Composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM).
  • Marvel Project & Cello Recording: Completed a high-profile composition assignment for a Marvel opening theme, featuring a cello solo performed by a professional cellist and recorded live at the Bowes Center recording studio.
  • Advanced Game Scoring: Furthered his advanced studies in video game scoring and adaptive audio design under the direct guidance of Professor Lennie Moore.
• Age 15 (July – Present)
  • Upcoming Conducting Debut (Nov 1): The Resonance Orchestra confirmed its concert date for November 1 and extended a prestigious invitation to Nicholas to conduct all three of his compositions. He gladly accepted, preparing to make his official conducting debut.
  • The Red Fox Premiere: Deeply fascinated by London’s wildlife and culture, Nicholas chose the London red fox as the central theme for a brand-new commissioned orchestral work, which will receive its world premiere at the concert.