Matthew Hahn, piano

Meet Matthew

Matthew performs on Show 423.

Matthew Hahn (piano), 15, is from Lake Forest, Illinois, and attends Lake Forest High School as a sophomore. He is a Scholarship Fellow of the Music Institute of Chicago Academy and studies piano with Winston Choi and Christina Tio. He has performed at numerous venues, including Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center, and Gannon Concert Hall. He has won top prizes in many local, national, and international competitions, including: 2022 MTNA National Winner (Best Chopin Performance Junior); Second prize winner of 2022 CIMC International Music Competition; First prize winner of the Sejong Cultural Society Competition in two divisions; Paderewski International Piano Competition 2022 Prize I Winner; top prize in the 2021 Chopin International Competition in Hartford; First prize at the International Grand Virtuoso Competition, where he was invited to perform at the Beethoven house in Bonn. Matthew had his orchestral debut at age 11 with the Trinity Community Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Eli Chen, and, at 14, as a winner of the 2021 DePaul Concerto Competition, he performed with the Oistrach Symphony of Chicago Orchestra, conducted by Mina Zikri. Matthew enjoys being able to use music to give back to his community and was thrilled to be chosen to perform for the inaugural 2020 MIC Families in Concert, a fundraiser where peers helped raise money for peers with financial aid needs. Matthew has also participated in MIC’s Musical Pen Pals, where he connected with seniors virtually for music and conversation, and has been an active performer in local retirement facilities. Matthew has participated in masterclasses with renowned professors and piano artists, such as Dang Thai Son, Jerome Lowenthal, Jon Kimura Parker, James Giles, among others. Matthew currently plays in a piano trio at MIC Academy. Outside of music, he enjoys participating in math competitions and is a member of his school’s Future Business Leaders of America organization. His hobbies include skiing, playing ping pong and chess, and hiking with his dog. He is also a self-declared Star Wars aficionado.