海角在线

Schedule subject to change.

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE FOLLOWING BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Read all the information on this page.
Click on the 鈥淎PPLICATION鈥� link below to register via the online portal.
Fill out the online application.
Upload your solo audition material YouTube video and we need to determine if it will be directly on the application that they will submit this.. Audio only will not be accepted. Please note, at least one piece of repertoire should be memorized.
Submit your application fee online.
Confirm and you are done! You will receive an email confirmation.
APPLICATION TIMETABLE

May 1st 鈥� Application Deadline.
(Late Applications will be considered if space is available.)

AUDITION MATERIALS

Students currently enrolled at 海角在线 Preparatory Department for piano are exempt from the audition requirement.

NOTE: Audio-only auditions will not be accepted. If submitting a performance with orchestra only professional quality recordings will be accepted, no cell phone video.

APPLICATION/PROCESSING FEE

The non-refundable application/processing fee is US $100
This fee is payable online by credit or debit card as the final step in submitting the application.

ADMISSION NOTIFICATION LETTERS

Acceptance letters will be emailed to all applicants within one week of receipt of application material.

RESERVATION DEPOSIT

50% Tuition Deposit is due within one week of receiving your acceptance notice.
Include the signed Pledge, Waiver, and Tuition Reservation Deposit.

Payment via Credit Card/Debit Card is accepted.

CANCELLATION OF RESERVATION

Please note, there are no refunds issued if you need to withdraw after May 15.

ACCOUNT BALANCE AND MEDICAL FORMS

The Account Balance and Medical Forms are due May 15.
The balance of your account must be paid in full by May 15th. Arrival of the final tuition payment after the May 15 deadline may result in the loss of your reservation and placement on the wait list, as well as a $50 late fee.

CHECKS
Payable to:
海角在线

Mailing Address:
海角在线
Department of Music

Preparatory Department
1301 S. Olive Avenue

West Palm Beach Fl 33401

QUESTIONS
Email Preparatory_Department@pba.edu

Dr. Jackie Yong is a versatile Malaysian pianist and Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) in Piano. Since Fall 2024, he has served as Assistant Professor of Piano and Coordinator of the Keyboard Division at 海角在线 (海角在线). Viewing teaching and learning as a form of discipleship, Dr. Yong emphasizes progress-driven, comprehensive, and sustainable approaches that cultivate both practical skills and a profound understanding of music.

As a performer, Dr. Yong is recognized for his thoughtfully curated programs that span repertoire from Bach to Bernstein and Boulez to Bright Sheng. He has appeared across Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Colombia, Germany, and the United States, earning top prizes in competitions such as the Rockwood Piano Competition, Asia-Open International Piano Competition, and Charleston International Piano Competition. A passionate advocate for new music, he has premiered works by living composers and performed at events including Florida State University鈥檚 Biennial Festival of New Music and the University of Tennessee鈥檚 New Sound Concert Series. His performances have been featured on platforms such as WUOT 91.1 FM and 988 FM.

Dr. Yong鈥檚 scholarly work explores collegiate piano literature, recital programming, musical meaning and narrative, historical pedagogy, and career development for musicians. He presents regularly at international, national, state, and regional conferences, including those hosted by the College Music Society, Music Teachers National Association, National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), UCSI Piano Pedagogy Conference, Florida State Music Teachers Association (FSMTA), and the 海角在线 Interdisciplinary Conference. A two-time recipient of the David Z. Kushner Paper Award, he has also received honors such as the FSU Dissertation Research Grant and the University of Tennessee Diversity Enhancement Fellowship.

From 2025鈥�2027, Dr. Yong serves as Vice President of District and Local Associations for FSMTA, Secretary of the Palm Beach County Music Teachers Association, and Chair of the FSMTA District VI Concerto Competition. An MTNA-certified adjudicator, he has judged events including the FSMTA District VI Concerto Competition, Pompano Beach Piano Competition, PBCMTA Scholarship Competition, Tallahassee Sonatina Festival, and Tallahassee Student Day. At 海角在线, he directs the annual Young Artist Piano Competition, which welcomes high school students for a piano festival.

Beyond academia, Dr. Yong has served as a pianist, organist, conductor, and worship leader across Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, and non-denominational churches, reflecting his deep commitment to music ministry. He is also frequently invited to lead masterclasses and workshops on piano technique, hymn playing, and improvisation.

He holds a Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Florida State University, along with certificates in Piano Pedagogy, Music Theory Pedagogy, and College Teaching. He also earned degrees from the University of Malaya and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His artistic and pedagogical outlook has been shaped by his teachers Read Gainsford, Diana Dumlavwalla, and Chih-Long Hu, as well as masterclasses with renowned artists including Jerome Lowenthal, Hung-Kuan Chen, Bernd Goetzke, Robin McCabe, Craig Sheppard, and Angela Cheng.

Rev. Dr. Erikson Rojas has given numerous solo and chamber performances in U.S., Europe, and Latin America, including eight appearances at Carnegie Hall. In each case he has also been featured as soloist with orchestra.

The winner of various competitions, Dr. Rojas is honored to have been one of five Americans and the only Hispanic in 30 pianists selected world-wide for the Cleveland International Piano Competition. An alumnus of Rutgers University (D.M.A.), Peabody Institute (M.M., G.P.D.), Curtis Institute and Cairn University (B.M., B.S.), his primary teachers include Leon Fleisher, Samuel Hsu, Eleanor Sokoloff, Min Kwon and Juilliard鈥檚 Martin Canin. Other lessons and masterclasses were with Claude Frank, Gary Graffman, Seymour Lipkin, Jerome Lowenthal, Nelson Delle-Vigne Fabbri, John Perry, Ilana Vered, Sasha Starcevich, Pavlina Dokovska, Susan Starr, and Jorge Luis Prats. He is on faculty at 海角在线 and Csehy Summer School of Music. He also serves as Pianist of the Choral Society of the Palm Beaches and as Music Minister and Organist at Royal Palm Presbyterian Church and Grace Community Church in Southeast Florida, where he resides with his wife Diandra.

Daniel Mattos is a composer, pianist, conductor, and pedagogue recognized for his versatility across performance, composition, and music education. He graduated with honors from the Escuela Libre de M煤sica de San Juan, Puerto Rico and holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Florida State University, where he also pursued advanced doctoral studies in Music Theory. His academic interests include piano pedagogy, music education, instrumental conducting, and the science of education.

Professor Mattos has served as adjudicator, clinician, conductor, and instructor in the United States and internationally. His collaborations include the University of Puerto Rico, The International Bach Festival of Per煤 (city of Trujillo), Florida State University, Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches, Bak Middle School of the Arts, and the Nevada Music Teachers Association Silver State Competition.

An active and performed composer, Mattos has written works for choir, chamber ensembles, orchestra, and solo instruments. His compositions鈥攔anging from liturgical works and contemporary motets to tangos, chamber music, and jazz-influenced pieces鈥攈ave been performed throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the United States. Select scores are published by J.W. Pepper Publishing.

In addition to his creative work, he is the author of pedagogical materials including Piano in Company, 笔颈补苍铆蝉迟颈肠辞 (a comparative study of piano biomechanics and sports performance), and Music Encounter, an early childhood music program.

“A future star鈥�a little monster at the keys鈥� by the Qingdao Evening News. A native of QingDao, China, Jonathan Duan began studying piano at age four聽 聽Enoch Chang, and has dedicated countless hours to practicing, performing at venues including the Qingdao Grand Theatre (China), the Kravis Center (West Palm Beach), and Carnegie Hall.

In 2015, Jonathan moved to the United States to further his musical training. Since then, Jonathan has studied piano with Akiko Turley, Dr. Erikson Rojas, Lotus Cheng, and Susan Starr.聽 In 2020, Jonathan was accepted to the reputable Eastman School of Music and Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University for undergraduate study. He later earned his Bachelor of Music at 海角在线 under Dr. Erikson Rojas. In 2025, Jonathan was accepted to The Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Frost School of Music for a Master of Music in Piano Performance. He is currently studying at Frost School of Music under Dr. Naoko Takao.

His accolades include: The First Great China Area Youth Arts Festival in 2007, second place in the Internationaler Deutscher Irmler-Klavierwettbewerb in 2013, winner of The Dandelion Selective Activity for Youngster’s Outstanding Artistic Stars in 2013 sponsored by Srik Du. Jonathan was also awarded the inaugural Samuel Hsu Piano Scholarship, Csehy ChamberFest invitation, Gold Alternate of 2017 Young Classical Virtuosos Competition, Crane

International Piano Festival Honored Scholarship, Steinway 164th International Birthday Invitation, and Newark Symphony Orchestra first place, performing Chopin鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor. In 2019, Jonathan was invited to play the Grieg A minor Piano Concerto with the Csehy Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, he won his first prize in the Sylvia Brainen Piano Competition. In 2024, Jonathan was invited to perform Prokofiev鈥檚 Third Piano Concerto with Hongxi Li for the final doctoral recital. In 2025, Jonathan was invited by Ranaan Meyer from Time For Three, an Amy and Grammy Award Winner group at the Soundboard Institute June with a full scholarship. Most recently, Jonathan had the honor of serving as Artistic Director for Visual Art & Sonic Art during Art Miami week in collaboration with Art Basel. He was also named a Lamborghini partner artist for 2025.

Jonathan has also worked with a variety of renown musicians, such as Cui Shiguang, Weihui Mao, Yundi Li, Jin Zhang, Eleanor Sokoloff, Alan Chow, Misha Dichter, Ignat solzhenitsyn, Alex Kobrin, Marian Hann, Anne- Marie, Lindsay Garritson, MengChieh Liu, Emmanuel Ax, Alessio Bax, Lucille Chung, Anne-Marie Mcdermott, among others.

Jonathan is deeply grateful for the support of his family, friends, and audiences. He looks forward to the future with a commitment to personal and artistic growth鈥攂oth physically and spiritually.

Jonathan is also a dedicated piano teacher who began teaching at age 14 and now brings over a decade of experience to his studio. Known for blending solid technique with expressive musicianship, he helps students build fluent reading, a reliable ear, and confident performance skills. He believes that studying the piano is far more than simply learning an instrument; it is a lifelong resource that can enrich every area of a student鈥檚 life. Students could cultivate patience through practice, build confidence through performance, and discover a profound way to release emotions that words cannot fully express. Lately, Jonathan has guided students to successful admissions at Bak Middle School of the Arts and the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, reflecting his track record in audition preparation and long-term mentoring. In lessons, he emphasizes purposeful practice, healthy mechanics, and musical storytelling, tailoring coaching to each student鈥檚 goals; whether that鈥檚 school auditions, competitions, or a lifelong love of the piano. His eldest student, at 73 years

of age, is a testament to the fact that it is never too late to learn the piano.