Kalea Schunk, 11, began playing violin at the age of 3. At 5 years old, she participated in two to three competitions yearly in Taipei, Taiwan, most notably the Excellence Music Open Competition of Taiwan and the Taiwan Music Competition, consistently taking home the first prize. Schunk achieved second place in the 15th Academy of Taiwan Strings Violin Competition, Junior Category. She was the youngest violinist ever to place in the top three for this prestigious competition, earning her the privilege of performing publicly at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Schunk is currently a member of the Virtuosi of Houston chamber orchestra. At age 9, she was the youngest member to have been chosen to join the orchestra in its nearly thirty-year history. She won first prize in the orchestra’s 2024 concerto competition and subsequently performed the concerto with the orchestra at the the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston.