ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—Most accomplished musicians dream about performing at Carnegie Hall. But 11-year-old Lauren Park has already done that twice.
Her most recent performance at the famed concert hall took place on June 5, as part of her award for first place winner of the Prima Volta Music Competition. Hundreds of vocalists, instrumentalists and small chamber ensembles, their members ranging from ages 3 to 19, competed for the prestigious award. In addition to a $100 cash prize, Lauren was invited to perform in a recital at Carnegie Hall with Prima Volta Music Competition winners in other categories (her category was musical theater).
Lauren said that she is going to donate the prize money to the Internat Saint Madeleine Orphanage in Haiti.
“I believe that even the tiniest action can make a change. There is nothing better than knowing that someone else is happy. I would like to donate my money for a good cause in all future earnings, too.”
Lauren has won other cash prizes, such as $150 in the 2019 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition. “I’m going to use that money to take my parents out to dinner and also to buy music books and ‘The Little Princess’ (the classic children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett), because I like reading fiction.”
Lauren is truly a prodigy with personality. She remembers singing when she was a toddler, as soon as she started talking. By third grade, she was taking voice lessons and composing her own songs.
Lauren is a natural performer. According to her mother, Donna Hogin Kim, “Lauren always loved to sing and show off for people.”
Kim, too, is a talented musician, who played violin professionally, and Lauren’s grandmother is a vocalist who traveled to the U.S. from Korea to attend Julliard.
While growing up in South Korea, Lauren performed in theater productions at the Chadwick International School and with Miracle Works Musical Studio, including playing Wendy in “Peter Pan Jr.,” the title role in Annie and Young Fiona in “Shrek Jr.”
Lauren and her parents moved to Englewood from South Korea in 2018. She currently attends The Elisabeth Morrow School, where she’s finishing fifth grade and has also studied dance at Progressive Dance Studio, Broadway Dance Center and Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.
Since coming to the United States, Lauren has performed with Broadway Workshop, iTheatrics in New York City, Random Farms Kids’ Theater in Westchester and The Elisabeth Morrow School productions.
Lauren enjoys The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC where she studies voice with Amelia DeMayo, Liliana Sotirova and Glenn Gordon.
“I love the beauty of the students respecting each other’s talent. The school at bergenPAC is home to this beauty. It is a place of great diversity where you are encouraged to show your true colors,” she said. “The supportive community allows you to learn from each other in a friendly environment.”
In addition to her awards from the 2019 Prima Volta Music Competition and the 2019 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition, Lauren has received All-Star Awards for music and dance in the 2017 and 2018 Junior Theatre Festivals.
DeMayo, Lauren’s voice coach at The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC, speaks highly of her gifted student.
“Lauren Park was blessed with a beautiful vocal instrument with a wide range and tremendous facility, which is quite developed for her age,” said DeMayo. “Lauren is passionate about musical theater, has a natural connection to the storytelling, and is extremely expressive as she sings and performs. She has great stage presence and the audience is really drawn to her. She has had such a wonderful year, winning first and second place in three or four competitions.
“Lauren has also been awarded great roles in shows in several prestigious youth theater companies,” DeMayo continued. “She is a joy to teach. I expect great things from her in the future!”
Lauren’s future, will, in fact, be impressive. In addition to performing, Lauren is interested in writing, debating, track and field, skiing, golf, swimming and soccer.
Looking towards a career, she is considering becoming a professional singer, an actress and a writer. As such, she has high level role models—Ashley Park, a Korean actress who starred in “Mean Girls” on Broadway, and author JK Rowling of “Harry Potter” fame.
Lauren has even considered becoming a diplomat working for peace.
“I would like to change the world,” she said.
Given Lauren’s enormous energy and talent, she might just do that.
Lauren will be appearing next in “The Little Princess,” a new musical by Folan and Miller at the Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at Pershing Square Signature Center on West 42nd St. in New York City from Aug. 22–25.