A moment of silence hangs in the air. 16-year-old Memphis, Tennessee native Harrison Shao sits in front of a piano, preparing to play.

And then, when his fingers touch the keys, the notes of Frederic Chopin’s “Ballade No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47” come cascading from the instrument.

This piece and two others led Shao to win the title of state representative in the Mississippi Music Teachers National Association Senior Competition, a prestigious piano competition for high-schoolers across the state, on Oct. 27.

Shao said he heard he won in a text from his mother, Junmin Wang.

“I called her and I was like, ‘Is this really true? Did I really get chosen?’” Shao said. “And she said yes, and I was really happy, obviously. In that moment, it felt like I’d accomplished something I wanted to accomplish and now it’s just about moving on to the next step.”

The “next step” for Shao is competing in the MTNA Southern Division Senior Piano competition, where he will be playing against representatives of seven other states to win the honor of competing on the national level.

While Shao expressed surprise at being chosen, he said this moment is something he has worked for since he was 7 years old, when he first started playing piano following a family trip to Europe. Watching pianists from other parts of the world play inspired Shao to do the same.

“It’s about connecting music with history and art, because I believe those are all connected to each other and related to each other,” Shao said. “I’ve been traveling around the world, so I’ve had experiences with different types of art, and I feel like I can put that in my music.”

Wang said she and her husband are not musicians, making Shao’s aspirations a bit of a surprise. But once he started, Shao made the piano a part of their family forever.

“It’s been a long process for him,” Wang said. “… The most important thing I can say about Harrison’s achievement is that he’s a persistent kid. He’s very patient. And he loves music. That’s the most important thing.”

By 10-years-old, Shao started entering competitions. By 2018, at 11 years old, Shao was invited to be an Honored Performer at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Between 2018 and 2023, Shao won five competitions with the University of Tennessee at Martin and the Tennessee Music Teachers Association.

In August, Shao moved to Columbus to attend Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. Since moving, Shao has started taking lessons from Valentin Bogdan, professor of music at Mississippi University for Women. Bogdan said working with Shao is a “delight.”

“Harrison is a very gifted pianist,” Bogdan told The Dispatch in an email. “He is very musical, plays very expressively and is eager to explore new horizons in music. I am very excited to witness his continuing musical growth.”

Bogdan also said the MTNA competition is one of the most prestigious music competitions in the United States, but Shao has put in the time and effort to participate and advance, including several hours of practice every day.

Despite the hours of practicing, Shao said he still feels “freedom” in music, and competing is still about having fun, in his mind.

“You’ve got to have a good mindset,” Shao said. “You’ve got to have fun with it and play for the audience. You play for your family and you play for your friends, and I think that’s what it’s all about.”

In January, Shao will participate in the video-only division competition with the hopes of advancing to the national level. He said he is grateful for the opportunity to keep playing.

“I’m excited for the next round of competition,” Shao said. “I feel ready.”