MEET THE JUDGES
Geraldine Ong
SAC Piano Proffessor
Originally from Seremban, Malaysia, Geraldine Ong has performed solo and collaborative recitals in China, France, Malaysia, United States, and Vietnam, including a debut at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC, and Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio. She obtained degrees from University of Houston, Northwestern University, and Missouri State University. Geraldine Ong teaches at San Antonio College and serves as Vice President for the San Antonio Music Teachers Association.
Artem Kuznetsov
Shigeru Kawai Artist
Artem Kuznetsov Pianist and educator Artem Kuznetsov has forged a distinctive international career as a performer, teacher, and arts entrepreneur. Following his appearance at Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana, Bachtrack praised his “very balanced combination of brilliance and expressive depth,” while Interlude described him as “Charismatic with Wow Factor.” A recipient of more than fifty prizes and distinctions at international piano competitions, Kuznetsov has won First Prizes at the Blanca Uribe International Piano Competition in Colombia, the Roma International Piano Competition in Italy, and the Santa Cecilia Piano Competition in Portugal. He has performed with orchestras and at festivals and concert venues across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Kuznetsov is the Founder and Director of Kuznetsov Piano Lab, where his students have earned awards at international competitions and performed at distinguished venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, Casa da Música in Porto, and the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. His artistic formation spans the Russian and American musical traditions and six major stages of formal study, culminating in the Doctor of Musical Arts degree. His broader artistic and cultural distinctions include the Medal of the Senate of the Italian Republic and the Club for UNESCO of Rome Prize.
Martha Taplin
UIW Piano Proffessor
Martha Taplin holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Ouachita Baptist University. She also holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, where she studied under renowned pedagogues Dr. Barbara Fast and Dr. Jane Magrath. Ms. Taplin is a faculty member at the University of the Incarnate Word and maintains a private studio where she guides students at all levels of development. She is an active member of the National Federation of Music Clubs and an officer of the local chapter of the Music Teachers National Association. Ms. Taplin spent several summers working for Interlochen Center for the Arts, and she spent her favorite summer as a piano teaching assistant for their arts camp. She has also enjoyed accompanying the preschool children choir at her church and assisting as a keyboardist for the San Antonio Philharmonic.
