HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Fifteen-year-old Aya Okimoto has been playing the piano since she was 6 and the violin since she was 7. He describes music as a form of freedom.

“I just love that freedom of expression exists,” he said. “You can show all your expressions, all your emotions, and tell a story through your music, and it’s a very creative way to tell your story.”

Despite her youth, Aya has performed on some big stages, including the famous Carnegie Hall. Since COVID, he has showcased his talent in online competitions and online music festivals; High fees are demanded to participate in these events.

So he decided to organize his own online festival and make it free for aspiring young artists.

“I know many students want to participate in music competitions and festivals, but some face financial barriers because $180 per competition is quite a lot,” he said.

He created the competition through a non-profit organization he founded and called it the World Wave Music Festival. This is an opportunity for young musicians in Hawaii and around the world to submit videos of themselves performing a piece of music.

He encourages musicians and singers to enter.

“This is also a great way to expose yourself, practice, and get feedback that will help you in the future,” he said.

The videos will be reviewed by global artists and a number of music experts who donate their time, including professors from Harvard, MIT, New York University and the Julliard School of Music.

It provides participants with a great networking opportunity.

The competition gained great momentum when Google signed on as a supporter.

“I was amazed at how generous and kind they were,” Aya said. “I was really happy when I saw this email response. And I was like, ‘Oh my God! It’s possible!’”

The deadline to submit your video is November 13th, so if you want to participate you better get going. You can find the information you need at: Aya’s website.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.