Esme is 11 years old and is currently attending 5th grade at Harbor Day School in Newport Beach, CA. She has been studying the piano under the direction of Prof. Ana Maria Eckstein. She enjoys playing various composers, reading about their lives, and learning different musical eras and their musical styles.
Since age 5, she has won numerous national and international music competitions including the Gold and Absolute Prize in the WPTA Finland International Piano Competition 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024; First Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner 2020, 2021, 2022 2023, 2024 Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition; First Prize in American Protégé International Music Talent Competition 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023; First Absolute Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize Winner International Music Competition 2020, 2023 Bonn Grand Prize Virtuoso, 2021 London Grand Prize Virtuoso 2022 Salzburg, 2022 Amsterdam Grand Prize Virtuoso ; Gold Prize in the 2021 Golden Key Music Festival; Gold Prize in 2021 Musicale Piano Etude Festival and 2021 Musicale Piano Classical music Festival; Platinum/ Absolute Platinum/ Grand Champion special prize winner 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Quebec Music Competition; Gold award in all 3 categories (Junior Performance category, Bach Invention/Sinfonia Category, and Mozart category) 2021 Nordic International Piano Competition; First Prize in the 2021, 2023 US New Star “Etude” Competition; Platinum and Gold Prize in North American Virtuoso International Music competition 2025, 2021,2023; Gold award (2021) and Platinum award (2022, 2023) Global International Music Competition;Diamond Special Top Prize winner, Absolute Platinum prize, Platinum Prize winner of Grand Maestro International Music Competitions 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025; First Prize in the 2021 US New Star International Piano Competition; Gold Prize in 2021 Musicale Fall and Winter Music Festival; American Music Judges Award for outstanding performance and interpretation at the Musicale Piano Music Festival 2021; Platinum Award in 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 Trinity International Music Competition; Platinum/ Absolute First Prize in 2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025 Canadian International Music Competition; Platinum award in 2022, 2023 Euro Elite International Music Competition; Grand Prize Royal Sound Music Competition 2022; Grand Prize 21st Century Talent Music Competition 2022; First Prize 2022 Bay Area Piano Competition; First Prize/ Grand Prize Pelican International Music Competition2022, 2024; Most Exceptional Performer and First Prize at all three categories of 2022 Charleston International Music Competition-20th century, 19th century, 18th century, and contemporary music competition; First Prize at all four categories of 2023 Charleston International Music Competition-19th century, contemporary music, world music, First Prize and Top 10 Most Exceptional Performer in all categories of 2024 Charleston International Music Competition – Winter, Summer, Autumn Music Competition; European music competition; First Prize at Mimas Festival International Competition 2022, 2025; Winner of Gold Hands award (2022, 2023, 2025), Best 20-21st Century Performance (2022, 2023), Best Haydn Performance 2022, Best Beethoven Performance (2023, 2025), Best Chopin Performance 2025, and best Bach Performance 2022 in Carles and Sofia International Piano Competition; First Prize winner Pacific Stars International Piano Competition 2022; Absolute Platinum Prize winner (2022, 2024) and Gold Prize winner (2023) Appassionato International Youth Music Festival; First Prize winner 2022, 2024 King’s Peak International Music Competition; Platinum Prize and Best Classical Music Award WPTA Singapore International Piano Competition 2022, 2024; Gold Prize Winner 2022 Global Genius Music Competition; Grand Prize Winner 2022 Kaleidoscope Music Competition; Gold PrizeWPTA Indonesia International Piano Competition; Gold Star Award (2022, 2023) and Best Classical Performance award (2023) from Music & Start Award; Brilliant award- 2023 Brilliant Talent Discovery Awards International Music Competition; Golden Medal -2023 Vienna International Music Competition; Gold Medal AADGT(The American Association for Development of the Gifted and Talented) International Young Gifted Musicians Festival “The Passion of Music 2023”; Absolute First Prize & Excellent Technique Special Prize at Louis Couperin International Music Competition 2023, 2024; Iconic Performance Special Award and Platinum Prize at World Exceptional Musicians Competition 2023; Absolute Platinum Prize & Great Technique Special Prize At World Melodia Championship International Music Competition 2023, 2024; Technical Mastery Special Prize & Platinum Prize at Universal Stars International Music Competition 2023. Absolute First Prize and Outstanding Technique Special Award at VanBach International Music Competition 2023; Platinum Prize at World Classical Music Awards 2023, 2024, 2025; Absolute First Prize and Excellent Interpretation Special Award, Platinum Prize at World Grand Prix International Music Contest 2023, 2025; Platinum Prize & Regional Representative Special Prize at European Classical Music Awards 2023; Platinum Prize & Regional Representative Special Prize at European Classical Music Awards 2023; First Prize winner State of California OPUS Music Competition 2023, 2024; Gold Prize & Fantastic Technique Special Award Winner London Young Musician’s Award 2023, 2024; Platinum Prize & Art of Musical Interpretation Special Award Beethovinci International Music Competition 2023; Platinum Prize & Technical Mastery Musical Genius Prize – Global Genius International Music Competition 2023; Special Prize Best Performance virtuoso Etude WPTA Spain International Piano Competition 2023;
Absolute First Prize & Fantastic Technique Special Prize – 2024 UK International Music Competition; First Prize Charleston Winter Music Competition 2024; Platinum Prize- 2024, 2025 US-CANADIAN International Music Competition; Gold Medal AADGT International Young Musicians Competition “Album Young Gifted Performers 2024”; Platinum Prize 2024 Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition; The Winner of 2024 Special Venue Music Award for winner’s concert at Carnegie Hall and Harvard University. Platinum Prize – Nobel- Artist International Music Competition 2024 (Digital Music publication on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music); Bach Excellent Interpretation Special Award & First Prize Bach International Music Competition UK 2024; Platinum Prize 21st Century Prominent Musicians Awards 2024; Platinum Prize European Concert Artists Awards 2024; First Prize American Protege International Romantic Music Competition 2024; First Prize + Exceptional Young Talent Special Prize – 2024 International Music Competition Oxford Grand Prize Virtuoso; Gold Award – 2024 Singapore International Music Competition; Absolute First Prize & Best Beethoven Performance Special Award – Beethoven International Music Competition 2025; Best Bach Performance Special Award & Absolute First Prize – Bach International Music Competition UK 2025; Absolute Platinum Prize – Golden Prestige International Music Competition 2025; Distinguished Pianist of the Season -International Music Leadership Award 2025; Platinum Prize – 2025 Royal Resonance International Music Competition; Grand Prix – 2025 WPTA Singapore International Piano Competition; First Prize and Top 15 Most Exceptional Performer Award – Charleston Summer Music Competition 2025; Gold Prize – Claude Debussy International Music Competition 2025; Season Top 5 Musicians Award, Expressive Performance Special Prize, Versatile Musician Award, Gold Prize in Baroque Period Music Performance, Gold Prize Classical Period Music Performance – London Young Musician’s Award 2025
So far, Esme has 4 single solo digital music publications on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. She was invited to perform in various winner’s concerts since 5, including Carnegie Hall, NYC, USA; Solitar Mozarteum, Salzburg, Vienna ; Beethoven’s Haus, Bonn, Germany; Disney Concert Hall, CA, USA; Royal Albert Hall, London, UK; Teatro Studio, Marco della Musica, Rome, Italy; Kleine Zaal, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.
Besides piano, Esme also enjoys fencing. reading, drawing, painting, and playing with her brother and dogs.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Albert Pieczonka Tarantella In A Minor by Albert Pieczonka on the piano for the 20th Century Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform F.J. Haydn Sonata Hob XVI:34 Finale by F.J. Haydn on the piano for the 18th Century Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Bartok Bela Roumanian Folk Dances by Bela Bartok on the piano for the 2022 Contemporary Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Sonata In C Major K330 – Allegro Moderato by W.A. Mozart on the piano for the 2023 Classical Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Beethoven Sonata in C Minor Op.13 “Pathetique”-Rondo by Beethoven on the piano for the 2023 19th Century Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Sibelius – Etude Op.76 No.2 by Sibelius on the piano for the 2023 World Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Chopin Waltz Op. Posth in E Minor by F. Chopin on the piano for the 2023 European Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Chopin Etude Op.25 No.2 in F Minor by F. Chopin on the piano for the 2024 Winter Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Impromptu in A Flat Major No.1 by F. Chopin on the piano for the 2024 Spring Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Sonata in D Minor Op.31 No.2 “The Tempest” (Largo-Allegro) by Ludwig Van Beethoven on the piano for the 2024 Summer Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Etude in F Major Op.72 No.6 by M. Moszkowski on the piano for the 2024 Autumn Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Partita No.2 in C minor BWV 826 826 by J.S. Bach on the piano for the 2025 Summer Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.
Watch Esme Soae Tran perform Etude Op.72 No.2 in G Minor by Moritz Moszkowski for the 2026 International Piano Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.