About

About Sandra

Macau first Young Steinway Artist Sandra Ho-Suet POON (潘澔雪) has performed and gave seminars extensively in the States, Europe and Asia. She has appeared in festivals and concert series such as Prague International Piano Institute, John Cage Centennial Festival, Dayton Art Institute Musicales Series, Troy-Hayner Cultural Center Chamber Series, Macao International Music Festival, Macao Arts Festival, Macau Vocal Festival, Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra Music Festival, Macao Chamber Music Week, Macau Youth Music Promotion Association Chamber Music Series, Hong Kong Musical Del Cuore, The Hong Kong Celeste Series, Beijing Normal University – Hong Kong Baptist University United International College Concert Series and Asia-Pacific Symposium for Music Education Research. She has been invited to perform concerto with the Macao Orchestra and Wright State University Chamber Orchestra. Since 2012, she has formed the "Poon Duo" with her sister May Poon, giving local and overseas performances. Sandra has world-premiered works by Clara Schumann, Chinese composer Wang Xilin, Macau composer Lam Bun-Ching and Malaysian composer Jun Yi Chow. Her live recording has broadcasted at the China Central Radio & Television General Station and Radio Television Hong Kong. In 2019, She gave a Macau-premiere (Works of Béla Bartók, Fazil Say and Steve Reich) two pianos and two percussion concert, and performed the only all Beethoven recital in Macau in 2020 (Beethoven 250th Anniversary).

Sandra is the prize winner in different competitions, including: Kyoto Prefectural Governor's Award at the Kayabuki Ongakudo International Competition; First Prize in Brussels Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, Second Prize in Golden Classical Music Awards International Music Competition; Most Outstanding Piano Ensemble Award at the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival; First Prize in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Competition; National Finalist at the Music Teachers National Association Competition; First place at the Ohio Music Teachers Association/Graves Piano Solo and Ensemble Competition; Winner of Wright State University School of Music Student Honors Recital (three consecutive years, 2009 to 2011; First Prize of Ohio Division at the Music Teachers National Association Competition; First Place at the Wright State University Departmental Concerto Competition; Second prize in Mozart Piano Competition; Second Prize in Schumann International Youth Piano Competition. Moreover, Sandra is the recipient of the prestigious Cultural Affairs Bureau Prize, Wright State University Piano Scholarship, University of Cincinnati Graduate Scholarship, Irene Romanowski Piano Scholarship, Presidential Commendation for Excellence, Agnes Fowler Scholarship and the Macao Government Postgraduate Scholarship.

Sandra was invited as jury member in different competitions including the Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition, Shanghai International Youth Piano Competition, Hong Kong International Youth Performance Arts Festival, Tom Lee Music Culture Competition, Macao - Asia Pacific Youth Piano Competition, "Lotus Cup" Macao Youth Piano Competition, Macao Piano Competition, , "Gree Coast Cup" Zhuhai Macau Youth Piano Competition, "Starlight Cup" National Youth Piano Competition, (Taiwan) Asia・Aegean Sea Music Competition, International Liszt Ferenc Competition, U.K. Purcell International Competition for Young Pianists, Macao International Art Open Competition, Asia (International) Music Competition and Excellence International Music Open Competition. Besides performing and teaching, she is an active emcee/host and interpreter in different music events, and has worked with musicians including Yulianna Avdeeva (First Prize of International Chopin Piano Competition, Lukas Geniušas (Second Prize of International Chopin Piano Competition and International Tchaikovsky Competition), Adriano Jordão (first director of the Macau International Music Festival, renowned pianist), Antônio Meneses (First Prize of International Competition in Munich and Tchaikovsky Competition).

Sandra found her interest in piano at a very young age, and received the Performer’s Diploma from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Under the sponsorship of the Macao Foundation and Macao Government, she received her Bachelor and Master degrees at Wright State University and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, majoring in piano performance. Her major mentors include Steinway artists Eugene Pridonoff (student of renowned Beethoven specialist Rudolf Serkin), Elisabeth Pridonoff, Jackson Leung and Kam Cheok Weng. She also studied vocal with Diana Cataldi and harpsichord with Vivian Montgomery. She has worked with masters including Emile Naoumoff, Hie-Yon Choi, Edward Auer, Lambert Orkis, David Hardy, Paul Katz, Lee Fiser, Kurt Sassmanshaus, Michael Chertock, Thomas Linde, Franklin Cox and the Ariel Quartet. Since graduation, she was the faculty member of Macao Conservatory School of Music and Macao Polytechnic University Faculty of Arts and Design, She is currently teaching at Beijing Normal University - Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, and serves as the guest keyboardist of Macao Orchestra and Macao Chinese Orchestra.