Haydn began taking piano lessons when he was four years old. He came to PCM when he was eight and was accepted as a piano student by Susan Svrček with whom he studied until she got sick. Since then, he has studied piano and music theory with Dr. Kathryn Eames. In addition, he studies composition with Dr. Alexander Zhu. And he is currently in the Chamber Music class at PCM.

Haydn also studied violin for a few years at PCM with Natalie Brejcha and Elizabeth Hedman.

He has participated in numerous master classes in piano, violin, and composition, as well as honors recitals at PCM.

Haydn represented PCM by performing at the Pasadena Playhouse’s Holiday Spectacular in 2023 and, most recently, at the Playhouse’s Micro Mozart performances both on piano and with his piano trio. He was also invited to perform at PCM’s Eaton Fire Benefit Concert in February 2025.

For the past three years, he has been accepted into the Brightwork New Music High School Composer’s Initiative for which he composed pieces that were performed by Brightwork musicians.

Haydn has won numerous awards at various piano competitions, including a gold medal at last year’s (2025) Southern California Junior Bach Festival, first place at the MTAC Baroque Music Festival in Spring 2025, as well as several awards at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival over the past four years.

Outside of PCM, Haydn has taught himself to play organ and was invited to perform two works by Bach at the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena in October 2025.

In this interview, Haydn discusses his approach to competitions, his experience at PCM, and his future plans.

This interview was conducted on August 14, 2025.

What have your competition experiences been like, and what have they meant to you?

When I first started competing, I didn’t expect to win anything. I just wanted to get a feel for it. So when competing, I never expect to win anything, because I just like the experience of competing and seeing other people at my level.

What do you enjoy most about preparing for competitions?

I like representing how the piece makes me feel, because I try to play pieces that resonate with me. For example, there’s a Beethoven sonata that I find to be dramatic, so I’ll try to represent that. Interpreting the pieces is my favorite part, but I also like just practicing for the competition.

Were there any challenges that you’ve learned to overcome?

I’ve learned that you should always work on a challenging piece that you struggle with, because you can learn things with that piece that will help you in other areas. It also gives you the motivation to push yourself and overcome even more challenges.

How has your experience at PCM helped you grow as a musician?

I like PCM because it fosters community performance. I recently got accepted into a chamber group, so I’ll be playing a Mozart piano trio in the fall. I enjoy playing with others, and PCM helps with that by giving me opportunities to play with other people. Because of that, I’ve grown from being nervous and comparing myself to others to now just enjoying it.

What is your favorite piece at the moment?

I currently like Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto. But mainly, I enjoy listening to Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. I’ve been listening to Beethoven’s Concertos and Symphonies, Bach’s keyboard music, and Mozart’s chamber music.

Do you envision yourself pursuing a career in music?

To some degree. I definitely want to keep playing and composing music. Whether that’s my full-time job or not, I don’t know. But I want to keep doing this.

What are your current goals?

I compete in the Southwestern Youth Music Festival competition every summer, and I enjoy master classes. I played in a masterclass for Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, and it was eye-opening, so now, I want to join more masterclasses.