Canonsburg boy, 8, returns to N.Y. stage

Henry Manciu, 8, of Canonsburg, will make his second appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York City this summer.
Henry Manciu is no stranger to the stage. In fact, the 8-year-old pianist will make his second appearance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City this summer.
“I get a little bit nervous,” said the Borland Manor Elementary School student.
“We try to keep it low-key for Henry,” said his mom, Sara Botkin. “It’s important to develop a skill, but we always stress to have fun.”
Henry has been playing piano since he was 3 and competing since he was 4. He said it’s a “little bit fun” to practice – about 45 minutes a day – but he also likes science, reading, playing soccer and building Legos.
Henry’s first Carnegie Hall performance was at age 6 for placing first in the American Protégé International Music Competition.
He will perform there again July 28 as a result of tying for first place in the Children A division of the Pittsburgh International Piano Competition. Open to young musicians from all over the world, this year’s competition was held at Chatham University on April 21 and 22. Sharing first prize honors with Henry is pianist Ziyi Hua of Qingdao, China.
Henry has won prizes in the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association Performance Competition and received superior ratings in the National Guild of Piano Teachers event for the past three years. In 2016, he became a Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania Young Artist and has played in recital at Carnegie Mellon University and in the lobby of Heinz Hall prior to a concert of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
His piano teacher is Phyllis Kiser of McMurray.
Henry performed Frédéric Chopin’s “Waltz in A minor” – which he calls “a little slow” – and Robert Vandall’s “Tarantella Brillante” to win his most recent honor.
During his first New York performance, Henry brought along two school friends and was treated to ice cream and a trip to the Lego Store. This time, the family, including his father, Ovi Manciu, will head to Ocean City, N.J., after the performance.
This time around also will be special for the family because Henry’s paternal grandmother, Maria Manciu, of Romania, will make her first trip to New York to see her grandson perform.
“It’s going to be a wonderful moment,” said Botkin.