Three students from Redmond have won Awards of Excellence in the Musical Composition category at the Washington State level of the National PTA’s Reflections program.

The young composers are Redmond High School junior Idiana Wang, Einstein Elementary fifth grader Stone Cao and Audubon Elementary fourth grader Paris Williams.

The purpose of the Reflections program is to help students use creative talents and express themselves with their original voice, said Michaella Schuelke of the Lake Washington PTSA Council Reflections Committee. This year’s theme was “I Can Make A Difference By …” and students from preschool through 12th grade had chances to submit entries in Dance/Choreography, Film/Video, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts categories.

Participants who achieved Outstanding Interpretation honors or Awards of Excellence at the state level of judging will be honored at a May 4 reception at the DoubleTree Hotel near Sea-Tac Airport.

Wang’s musical composition was called “(I Can Make A Difference by …) writing a song dedicated to all.” She performed on a traditional Chinese instrument called the Guzheng, which she described as, “like a Chinese version of a zither.”

Born in China, Wang came to the United States four years ago and wanted to share some of her Chinese culture with American-born peers. In addition to enjoying music, her favorite subject is AP Calculus. She’s also on Redmond High School’s varsity tennis team, participates in Key Club and volunteers as a Chinese tutor.

Cao composed a piano piece called “Procession and Dance.” The theme was soldiers returning from war and loved ones running to greet them, with the hope that they would never be separated again. The piece ended at a happy dance party.

He has been playing piano for five years and won several awards at the Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside (PAFE), but this was the first time he had written a song.

Williams’ winning Reflections piece was called “Sunshine.” A singer and pianist, she has performed in a professional stage production, “Whistle Down the Wind” at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and at open microphone nights at Redmond’s Soulfood Books and Cafe and elsewhere.

To learn more about the Reflections program and view a list of all 2008 winners from Washington state, go to www.wastatepta.org/programs/Reflections/reflect.htm.

Mary Stevens Decker can be reached at mdecker@reporternewspapers.com or (425) 867-0353, ext. 5052.