JASON GRIFFIN is junior at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. He began piano lessons at the age of four and started studying with Mrs. Mihyang Keel at the age of eleven. He has won awards in numerous events, including the Artists of the Future Concerto Competition, the Southwest Youth Music Festival, the Southern California Complete Works Audition, the MTAC State Concerto Competition, the MTAC VOCE and the West Covina Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Concerto Competition. He has had the privilege to perform as the piano soloist with the Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra in 2009, with the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra in June 2010 and April 2011, and the West Covina Symphony Orchestra in June 2011. Jason also enjoys providing accompaniment for competitions and recitals. In addition to the piano, Jason started playing the violin and oboe at the age of eight and continued his violin studies with Elmer Su. He is an active member of the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra, Peninsula High School Advanced Orchestra and the North Torrance Youth Music Ensemble.

While he enjoys performing, he is extremely interested in composition and began formal composition lessons with Mr. William Kraft in 2010. He has won first prizes at the PTA Reflections competitions, and recently won the first place in the International Composition for Orchestra Competition held by the Asia America Youth Orchestra. His winning piece debuted this April at the James Armstrong Theater. Jason has also had works commissioned and performed by the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra and the Torrance First Presbyterian Church. Jason also has an active interest in science and has found unique ways to couple his love of music with his interest in science. In the 8th grade Jason took second place in the Science Fair with his project exploring the relation between instruments’ harmonics and the distinctiveness of their sound. In 2011 Jason participated in the Science Olympiad and at the regional competition took third place in the area of music.