Ian Ching, 19, is currently pursuing a classical piano degree at the UCSI Institute of Music. Establishing himself with many achievements and exceptional performance skills, he has received various awards at many piano competitions. Having studied contemporary composition, one of his recent musical works, "Elegy to Mariupol," showcases his ability to express current events through impressionistic piano music. Ian also does research, having spent time studying the intersection between music and psychology. He explores how music can impact our well-being and is interested in investigating the relationship between music, sight-reading abilities, and lexical intelligence.

In addition to excelling as a pianist, Ian has served as a Bass Section Leader and Co-leader in UCSI choirs, including the Chamber, Concert, and Mixed Choirs. He has also been a guest section leader for the UCSI Junior Choir during their participation in the 2022 World Choralympics, Pocheon. 

When he's not immersed in music-related activities, he enjoys pursuing photography as one of his hobbies, having previously dabbled in avian photography with some of his work even featured on Wikimedia Commons. Nowadays, Ian actively engages in music photography as well. On a rainy day, he prefers to flip open a good book for perusal.

“ [Ian's playing] was the most enjoyable and musical, with admirable control and great expressivity. ”

— Loo Bang Hean, Malaysia Piano Competition 2021