Justin Kang (17) is a high school senior at Arizona School for the Arts. He studies cello with Jamie Kellogg and piano with Snezana Krstic.

As a cellist, he was awarded the Grand Prize at the 2025 Prodigy International Competition, the 2025 Arizona International Music Competition, and the 2024 Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras Young Musicians Competition. He also received First Prize at the 2025 and 2026 Opus National String Competition and the 2025 Arizona Musicfest String Competition, as well as Second Prize at the 2025 MTNA Senior String Competition.

Justin has appeared as a soloist with the Phoenix Symphony, performing Elgar’s Cello Concerto in 2024 and Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in 2025.

As a pianist, he received a Tier 3 Honor at the 2026 and 2025 AMEA Solo and Ensemble Competition, First Prize at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Arizona Musicfest competitions, and Second Prize at the 2023 MTNA State Piano Competition. He is a recipient of the 2024 Tim Banker Talent Development Award from NPR’s From the Top.

During the summers, Justin has attended several music festivals, including the 2026 Encore Chamber Music Institute, the 2025 Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the 2025 Montecito International Music Festival. He served as principal cellist of the 2024 Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra, and the 2023 YOLA National Festival Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.

Beyond performance, Justin is deeply passionate about giving back to his community. He volunteers as a radio host for the “Let’s Read the Bible” program at Heart and Seoul Gospel Ministries and serves as a church pianist and cellist at Calvary PHX. At school, he mentors underclassmen and is a Secretary of Tri-M. He is also a member of Student Government, National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. In his free time, he enjoys music production and playing volleyball.