Dara Phung is sixteen years old and lives in Burlingame, California. She has been playing the piano for the past twelve years under the direction of Sumi Nagasawa. Dara's interest in ragtime began when she first competed in the West Coast Youth Ragtime Competition in 2011. In addition to her passion for ragtime, Dara also enjoys playing classical and jazz piano, and has competed in a number of local and nationwide classical piano competitions and festivals.

At school, Dara is actively involved in the jazz band, marching band, wind ensemble, and chamber choir. Last spring, she was a percussionist in the district honor band as well as the pianist in the 2015 All-State High School Wind Symphony. She is also a violinist in the El Camino Youth Symphony. Outside of music, Dara enjoys following fashion trends, eating Vietnamese food, and taking pictures.
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