Children learn more music as 'tiger moms' relax

After adjusting a stool to reach the grand piano in front of her, 8-year-old Wang Keyi takes a deep breath, sets her hands on the keyboard and starts to play the instrument. Swiftly and gracefully she performs to much applause from an audience in the thousands at the city's Ningbo Grand Theater.

Wang is the top prize winner for the group (9 year old and below) at Steinway & Sons International Children and Youth Piano Competition, held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, in December. She looks like any other girl her age when she softly pats her dress during media interviews after her performance.

"I feel happy, and I will continue to work hard. I enjoy music," says Wang, smiling. Her shyness comes across, too.