The Talent 2026 Season 1 Episode 5: Pianists Jasmine Lai and Chutong Yi
Episode 5 of The Talent features two pianists, Jasmine Lai and Chutong Yi, who will recieve feedback from mentors Kevin Tamanini and Stewart Kelly. Kevin steps in for regular mentor Daniel Le, who will return next episode for a composer feature, so stay tuned! Read on to learn more about this weeks pianists.
Jasmine Lai
Piano
19-year-old Jasmine Lai is a young composer-pianist. She studies piano with Glenn Riddle and is currently a second-year scholarship student in Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Her major awards include Sydney Eisteddfod Junior Pianoforte Scholarship(2021), winner of Preston Symphony Youth Concerto Competition (2023), Young Bach Scholar Award from MRC Baroque Competition (2024 & 2025), MSV Hephzibah Menuhin Award (2025) and Second-Prize Winner of the 2025 3MBS Victorian Young Performer Award. Besides piano performance, Jasmine is active as a composer with her works performed by different youth orchestras in Australia and the youngest Australian composer who received the 2024 ABC Composer Commissioning Fund with her new composition “Liminality” performed by Ensemble Liaison.
Jasmine will perform:
1. K. Szymanowski- Étude Op.4 No.1
2. M. Smetanin - Stroke
Chutong Yi
Piano
22-year-old Chutong Cindy Yi is currently a honours piano student studying under Australian Pianist Caroline Almonte at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She has competed and participated in numerous competitions, receiving numerous awards including First prize in Boroondara Eisteddfod under the Piano Concerto Award-Open(2024), second prize in the Melbourne International Piano and Strings Festival Competition in the 18 years and under section (2021), Third prize recipient of the 15 years and under 21 Lythgo Scholarship. Outside Music, Chutong likes photography and travelling.
Chutong will perform:
1. J. Brahms- Op.118 No.3, Ballad, 3’36’’
2. M. Ravel- Gaspard de la nuit: Scarbo, M.55, 9’40’’