Hi, my name is Gracelynne Hao and I'm a junior at Bridgewater Raritan High School.

I've been studying piano with Professor Clarfield for eleven years. I started learning the piano when I was four years old and when I was six, I realized it was something I enjoyed a lot, so I decided to audition for Mrs. Clarfield's studio. Luckily, I was accepted and have been learning from her ever since. She has really helped me see what music is, past the notes and markings of the piece, into the art of storytelling and expression. She taught me how to practice on a daily basis up until how to perform on stage and capture an audience's attention. With Mrs. Clarfield, I have won High Honors at the NJMTA Spring Audition 10 times, placed in the NJMTA Young Musicians Competition 8 times, earned gold at the AADGT “Passion of Music” Festival, won 1st thrice at the Elite International Music Competition, and 3rd at the Camerata Artists International, which has given me the opportunity to perform in prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall. My biggest takeaway from Mrs. Clarfield's studio so far though has been my appreciation and passion for using my talents to give back to the community. Since entering her studio, I have also participated in the Performathon for CHOP and the NJMTA Performathon and have helped organize the CHOP Performathon and nursing home performances ever since.

Aside from piano, I am co-editor of the school yearbook and do musical theater. I have qualified nationally for the math and chemistry olympiads, and in my free time, I like to journal and read. I'm really excited to continue working hard and hopefully achieve a lot more things during my last year in this studio!

~Gracelynne