A talented girl has been hailed 'the pride of Hong Kong' by her principal and teachers at a Kowloon primary school after winning four top awards, including first prize at an international pianist competition held in Ukraine. Rachel Cheung Wai-ching, 11, beat 92 pianists from the former Yugoslavia, Japan, Russia, Ukraine and the mainland to take the junior group crown at the fifth Biennial International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz. She also received three special awards. Rachel is a Primary Six student of Maryknoll Convent School in Waterloo Road. Her mother said yesterday the family was thrilled. 'We are very excited and very happy. Hong Kong is facing some hard times recently. I hope the news can cheer people up,'' said Mrs Cheung. Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping sent a congratulatory message to the family. The competition was initiated in 1994 at Glier Kyiv High Music College in memorial of the Ukrainian musical maestro who graduated from the college. This year's event fell on the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Vladimir Horowitz. Rachel played on the stage of the Column Hall in the National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine, where the maestro gave his first concerts in the 1920s. Rachel has won numerous prizes in local and international musical competitions in the past. She studied piano at the Hong Kong Academy of Arts.
