Maxwell Ji, age 9, is a 3rd grader in Challenger School, Sandy Utah. He has been playing piano since five and studying with Drs. Ning Lu and Jie Lu. He loves piano and enjoys practicing it every day. Maxwell won the first prizes for several piano competitions including the University of Utah SummerArts Piano Solo Competition (2021, 2022, 2023) and Concerto Competition (2022), UMTA Piano Concerto Competition (2022, 2023, 2024), Ogden Piano Festival Concerto Competition (2022), Salt Lake Piano Solo Competition (2023), Salt Lake Piano Concerto Competition (2024), the Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Festival Solo Competition (2023), and OPUS Piano Competition State Level (2024). In addition, he also received the second prize in the XV Chopin International Piano Competition, Hartford, CT, 2024, and the Merit Prize in the OPUS Piano Competition (2024). In 2022, he performed with American West Symphony and with American Fork Symphony for the Salute to Youth Concert. In 2023, he performed with Chamber Orchestra Ogden in the Ogden’s Prodigy Concert and with American West Symphony in the winner concert of the Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Concerto Competition. Besides piano, Maxwell loves swimming, chess, and playing Lego with his brothers.
