Mr. Shota

Shota Homma is both a distinguished pianist and a research scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine, as well as a faculty member at Practice Queens Music Studio. He holds a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University and double bachelor’s degrees in Piano Performance and Science from UCLA, where he was awarded full scholarships and named School of Music Dean’s Medalist for three consecutive years.

Trained by renowned pianists such as Inna Faliks and Hans Boepple, Shota has won numerous top prizes in national and international competitions, including MTAC, MTNA, Pacific Musical Society, and the Celia Mendez Beethoven Competition, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, UCLA’s Royce Hall, and other prestigious venues. His performances have gained over 3 million views on YouTube and media coverage in outlets like UCLA’s Daily Bruin and Classical KUSC.

Passionate about community service, Shota has performed for patients at Stanford Hospital and serves as California State Coordinator for the MusicLink Foundation, expanding access to music education for underprivileged students. In his teaching, he emphasizes both technical mastery and artistic expression, tailoring lessons to help students—whether beginners or advanced—develop confidence, musicality, and a lifelong love for music.

Student Achievements

• Competitions

  • Owen Zhuang – 2024 U.S. Open Music Competition, 2024 CAPMT Honors Piano Competition, and accepted to the 2024 Colburn Summer Festival (achieved while studying with Shota).

  • Xin Liu – 2025 American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition — performed at Carnegie Hall in June 2025.

• ABRSM Auditions (100% current student passing rate)

  • Xin Liu – Level 8 (Distinction)

  • Emerson Liu – Level 4

  • Gene Shen – Level 5 (Merit)

  • Michael Held – Level 5

  • Ethan Dai – Grade 4

  • Jocelyn Wang – Grade 3