STUDENT BOARD

Allie Rui
​​​Chief Executive Officer
​Information Technology Director

Allie Rui is a student at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac, Maryland. She organizes the performances at communities and manages the organization’s website.

She started playing the piano at age 5. Since then, she has participated in many competitions and won several awards. These include 1st place in the MSMTA Spring Festival Solo Competition 2024, Best Chopin Performance at the International Music Competition 2024, and recognition at the AMMA Metropolitan Music Festival 2024. In addition to piano, she has been learning the violin for over 2 years and plays as the first violin in the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra's PS group. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and coding.

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Sophia Liu
​​​Chief Operating Officer
​Director of Workshops Development

Sophia Liu is a student at TJHSST  in VA. She is the COO of Music and Love where she takes on the responsibility of organizing events, managing the social media presence, and stepping in wherever needed to ensure everything runs smoothly. She is also the director of workshops development at Music and Love and is responsible for training and participating as a tutor and lecturer.

​As a dedicated pianist for over 10 years, she is passionate about the power of music to bring people together. She also enjoys engaging in ethical debate, where she combines creativity, leadership, and purpose in her work.

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Alex Jiang
Chief Financial Officer
Resource Director

Alex Jiang, a student at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac, Maryland, has emerged as a promising leader in both community initiatives and musical performance. As the program director of the Music and Love organization, she shoulders the substantial responsibilities of organizing the musical program for performances and coordinating the participating artists, dedicating herself to serving the community. 
Classical music has held a special place in Alex’s heart, influencing her life deeply since she started learning the violin over two years ago. She currently serves the position of Assistant Concert Master (ACM) in the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra's Preparatory String. Beyond her musical talents, Alex is passionate for gymnastics and ballet, developing a diverse range of interests and talents.

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​Jacqueline Chung
Fundraising Director

​Jacqueline Chung is a student of Westbrook ES in Bethesda, Maryland. She currently serves as the special event director for music and love to help raise funds and organize special performing events. 

Jacqueline loves music and interacting with people. She is currently in the MCYO future stars group to pursue her violin journey. Besides playing violin, she likes swimming and is a member of the nationally ranked NCAP swim team. She also does Saber fencing and competes in the regional leagues. In addition to music and sports, she is a member of Mensa Society and Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

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Rishita Dey
Sponsorship Director

I am a student at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac, Maryland. As the Sponsorship Director of the Music and Love organization, I shoulder the responsibilities for securing financial support and resources from businesses, organizations, or individual donors to help sustain and grow the organization's group activities.
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Music has held a special place in my heart from a very young age and I started playing violin. I wanted to expand my expertise beyond violin and started playing piano later on. Currently I am part of Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra. I believe that music has a healing power, it brings positivity and can brighten days for others. Performances at senior centers and community events fulfills my passion about serving my community. Apart from music, I am passionate about Indian classical dancing, reading books, and playing with my friends at school.

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Angelina Lin​
Director of VA Chapter

Angelina Lin is a 9th grader at Langley High School, Virginia. She has been playing piano since she was five and has kept up with it over the years. She coordinates the Music and Love organization in Virginia, introducing her friends, and keeping in touch with musicians. 
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While she doesn’t compete at a high level in piano, she enjoys finding the sheet music of her favorite songs and plays it on the piano, often experimenting with different styles and expressions. Music brings Angelina joy, and she values the personal connection it creates, whether she’s playing for herself or sharing with others. Outside of piano, she is passionate about rock climbing and art, always challenging herself and improving her skills in both activities. Angelina is looking forward to bringing more happiness to others in this community. 

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Timmy Li​
Marketing Director

Timmy is a student at Bullis School. As the Marketing Director, he will lead the development and execution of strategic marketing initiatives to promote Music and Love’s mission of inspiring children through running, music, and community engagement.

Timmy began studying piano at the age of four and violin at the age of five. He is currently a member of the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra (MCYO) and the Strathmore Youth Chamber (SYC). In addition to his ensemble work, Timmy has participated in a variety of cultural and community music events, including the Chinese Culture Festival, the Chinese Embassy cultural program, and the MCPS Youth Chinese Festival. He loves sharing music and love with others and values music as a way to celebrate culture and build connections in the community.

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Samuel Lu​
Director of Volunteer Engagement

Sam is a 10th grader at Montgomery Blair HS. He plays the piano and every year goes to many events. He got the Junior Distinguished Music Achievement Award of Maryland State in 2024. Most of the time, he watches memes and funny content and plays video games.
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He enjoys performing in senior living houses and hospitals, but he usually likes to play pieces he has not played before, and thus he doesn't like playing the same piece twice in the same place. He can also help with problems regarding music theory and composing.

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Benjamin Peng
Media Technology Director

My name is Benjamin Peng. I am a 10th grade student at Winston Churchill High School in Maryland. I have been playing piano since the age of 7, and I enjoy playing music, learning pieces, and performing. In my leisure time I like to play sports, play video games, and code. 
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Music is an art of sound, formed by the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and color. Music can express different ideas and emotions, ranging from happiness, sadness, mystery and even anger. This is why I love making, playing and listening to music. Along with enjoying playing music, I find it an honor to be part of Music & Love, performing in senior centers and doing community service. Helping others brings me happiness because it makes me feel useful, connected, and proud to have made a positive difference in someone else’s life.

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Chloe Robertson
Tutoring Director

Chloe Robertson is a 14-year-old freshman at Richard Montgomery HS. Chloe is an accomplished young musician specializing in violin and bassoon. She has been studying the violin for nine years. She was the lead concertmaster for the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra Symphony.

​As a bassoonist, she has been studying bassoon for 2.5 years and attended the NYO2 program this summer. Chloe was Principal Bassoon for the Maryland All-State Junior Band 2025 and plays with the DCYOP. This year, she was awarded the Leonard Bernstein Musicianship Award. Chloe also plays piano and guitar, further showcasing her passion and versatility in music.

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Selena Ritschel
Administrative Director

Selena Ritschel is a student at Winston Churchill high school. She has played piano for over ten years, and learns mostly classical pieces. Her favorite composer is Debussy, however she also enjoys playing music from other composers. She has participated in the Washington College Music Festival multiple times. She got third place on her first attempt, learned new skills and techniques and won first place in 2023. 

Selena has passed with merit grades 3-7 of the ABRSM performance exams. She passed grade 8 of the performance exams, the highest level of performance exams in ABRSM, in 2024. In addition, she passed grade five of ABRSM music theory. Although she doesn't have time to go to formal piano lessons because of school, she still continues to refine her skills in any way she can. In her free time, Selena enjoys making simple 2D animations and hanging out with friends. ​

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Esther Tian
Director of MD Chapter

​My name is Esther Tian, and I’m a 8th grader at Herbert Hoover Middle School. I’ve been playing the violin since I was four years old, and I’ve always had a deep love for all kinds of music. Every year, I audition for a youth orchestra called MCYO, and I’ve been part of it for about 6 to 7 years now. One of my favorite memories is winning a competition in 4th grade while performing a solo piece with my sister accompanying me on the piano. It was such a special moment. I enjoy listening to music of all genres—whether it’s jazz, pop, classical, or anything in between.
Participating in Music & Love gives me the perfect opportunity to share my passion for music. I love introducing beautiful songs to others and hearing their applause at the end. It fills me with a unique joy and happiness that I don’t experience anywhere else, and it’s truly an honor to be able to share this feeling with others through Music & Love.

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Candice Xu
Outreach Director

Candice Xu is a student at Bells Mill Elementary School in Potomac, Maryland. She  serves as the Outreach Director of our organization. Her services enable a broad spectrum of community outreach activities and services.  

She started playing the piano at age 5. Since then, she has participated in many competitions and won several awards. These include 2nd place in the MSMTA Spring Festival Duet Competition 2025. In addition to piano, she has been learning the cello for 1 year. Candice enjoys performing in senior living houses and hospitals. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and reading.

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Lexi Yang
Director of Beijing (China) Chapter

Lexi Yang is a dedicated and passionate oboist currently attending Thomas W. Pyle Middle School as an eighth grader. With more than six years of experience playing oboe, she has developed a deep love for music. 

As a member of the MCYO Symphony Orchestra, she has had opportunities to play in various venues and collaborate with talented musicians. Also, Lexi is recently accepted into the Montgomery County Honors Band of 2025. She also won first prize in the wind chamber music division at the Paris Music Competition(PMC) in the Chinese region in 2023. Lexi looks forward to exploring new music opportunities and sharing her passion for oboe with more people.

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Eric Zhang
Director of NJ Chapter

I am a seventh grader at Princeton Middle School in Princeton, New Jersey. In addition to my performances at local assisted living facilities, I treasure the opportunity to volunteer and perform at the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. My service brings music and laughter to patients with cancer and their loved ones.

Music has always held a special place in my heart. My music journey started at the age of 5 on the piano and 6 with the cello. I was the Assistant Principal of Chamber Strings at Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra (MCYO) before moving to New Jersey. This year, I am delighted to join Youth Orchestra, a 75+ member full orchestra, at New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS). Beyond my classic music pursuits, I am passionate about tennis and swimming in my spare time.​

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Grace Zhou
Partnership Director

​Grace Zhou is a student at Clearspring Elementary School located at Damascus, Maryland. Grace is currently serving as the Partnership Director of the Music and Love organization. She is actively looking for opportunities to collaborate with music studios, schools and organizations, as well as commercial businesses. 
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Grace started her journey of learning piano when she was 5 years old. She participated in the Maryland State Music Teachers Association (MSMTA) Piano Solo Festival and obtained the first place in 2022 and second place in 2023. She also won the first place in 2025 the Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition. Grace enjoys music performances with her friends. She also loves singing and drawing. She believes that she can communicate with not only words but also arts.

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