Best Music Gifts by Becky 2025 Entries ( Ages 17 and 18)
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2025 Compositions presented for Ages 17 and 18 with 12th Annual Youth Composition Competition - Distinguished Judges are MengMeng Wang and Donald Sloan
First Place Tie: Tyler Feng “String Quartet"”, and Matthew Sperling “Ricochet”, (Two first place instead of a second place); 3rd Place Tie: Campbell Leiloglou, “Clerestory”
Honorable Mention: Tyler Feng “Tidal Surge”
(Find ages 10 to 14 HERE, and ages 15 to 16 HERE.)
Composers Listed in Alphabetical Order below.
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Becky’s Note cards are prints of original music paintings by Becky - great for music teacher gifts, to send for recital invitations, or to give notes to your students. A hand written note is more meaningful than an email. People remember you if you send personal notes.
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Tyler Feng, “String Quartet”, First Place Tie and “Tidal Surge”, Honorable Mention
For nearly a decade, he has dedicated himself to the violin, developing a deep passion for performance and musical expression. He has performed with school ensembles and the San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS), where he continues to refine his technique and collaborate with fellow musicians.
Two and a half years ago, he expanded his musical journey by studying music composition. Through composing, he discovered a new way to express his creativity, transforming emotions and ideas into original works. His study of composition has deepened his understanding of musical structure and allowed him to experiment with a wide range of styles and forms.
Balancing performance with composition has given him a well-rounded perspective on music, blending discipline with innovation. His experiences as both a violinist and a composer have taught him the importance of storytelling through sound and the power of music to connect with audiences. As he continues to grow, he looks forward to exploring new musical landscapes and inspiring others through his artistry.
Campbell Leiloglou, “Clerestory”, Third Place
Campbell Leiloglou is an award-winning young composer who enjoys piano, reading, and drawing. He’s a piano student of Dorothy Yan Halstead and composition coaching student of Edna Longoria. Campbell’s pieces have placed in competitions held by both TMTA and NFMC. He plans to double major in music composition and piano performance at Biola University.
Cynthia Liu, “Voyage to Kalos”
Cynthia Liu is a 17-year-old composer from Austin, TX, as well as a junior at Westwood High School. She has played the piano for 12 years, the flute for 6, and composed for 5 years. Cynthia is a frequent participant and finalist in the annual Texas Music Teachers Association Composition Contest (TMTA), wherehttps://drive.google.com/open?id=13pyZT3DFpQmNKuGekTmjT_b-71UKfiTl her works have been nominated in small ensemble, large ensemble, and piano solo categories. She also placed nationally in the 2023 Golden Key Composition Contest, the 2025 National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Composition Contest, the 2025 Boston Int'l Music Competition, and has just been named a finalist in the Music International Grand Prix. In addition to composing, Cynthia also loves performing with many different groups across all genres of music, some of which include the various TMEA groups, her high school marching band, jazz orchestra, pit orchestra, and flute choir. Outside of music-related activities, Cynthia will most likely be found reading, writing, cramming homework, or mindlessly scrolling TikTok.
Carter Smith, “Portrait of a Dream”
Carter Smith is a 17-year-old composer from Austin. He has studied composition at the Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He has been mentored by the Emmy and Golden Globe winning composer Roger Neill and studies composition with the 2-time Jonathan Larson and Richard Rogers New Horizons winner Brendan Milburn. He has also studied film scoring with the multi-platinum musician and Clio award winning composer Daniel Wehr. Among many other awards, Carter was a finalist for the 2023 ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award.
Matthew Sperling, “Ricochet”, First Place Tie
Matthew Sperling is a high school composer, vocalist, and musician in Jackson Township, Ohio, who is heavily involved in all things music, academics, and service in his community. His works have been performed by the Jackson High School Chorale, the Ars Futura ensemble, the Arneis Quartet, and several others recently. He is a President's Award of Academic Excellence recipient and an honors student at his high school. His music is classically based but contemporary in execution, and comes from a place of deep meaning behind the art. He is currently in his senior year of high school and will study music composition at a four-year college or university next fall.
