Richie

Richie
Richie (musician)
Background information
Birth name	Richard
Born	November 2012 United States
Origin	New York metropolitan area, United States
Genres	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, classical performer
Instruments	Voice, violin, piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, drums
Years active	2018–present
Website	iamrichie.com

Richie (musician)

Richard (born November, 2012), known professionally as Richie, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and classical performer based in the New York metropolitan area. He first gained recognition as a classical violin prodigy and a frequent performer with the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus. He subsequently expanded into mainstream music, blending classical training with contemporary commercial pop.

Early life and violin career

Richie began formal musical training in 2015 at the age of four, specializing in the violin. He initially studied under various violin instructors starting in 2016. In 2022, he transitioned to elite private training under Georgy Valtchev, a Juilliard-trained soloist and chamber musician who studied under Dorothy DeLay and Masao Kawasaki. As of 2026, Richie has been training with Valtchev for four years.

At age six, Richie made his debut at Carnegie Hall after securing a second-place finish at the Prima Volta Music Competition. This recognition led to a European tour, which included a first-prize win at the European Music Festival and a televised appearance on TVN Warsaw.

Vocal and opera performance

In September 2021, Richie joined the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus, eventually advancing to the Advanced Level. During his tenure, he performed in more than 70 productions at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City,alongside additional staged performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

His notable operatic credits and roles include:

●      The Magic Flute - First Boy (the English-language adaptation, performed traditionally at Christmas)

●      Die Zauberflöte - First Boy (the German-language production)

●      La Bohème

●      Tosca

●      Walk with Amal - A specialized Metropolitan Opera performance held at John F. Kennedy International Airport, which received national media coverage from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and PBS News.

Since August 2021, Richie has been training under Metropolitan Opera composers He has also received ongoing artistic mentorship and vocal training from Max Lawrence, a voice coach and mentor who held this foundational role to prepare Richie for his transition into commercial pop music.

Mainstream music and multi-instrumentalism

As a multi-instrumentalist, Richie is proficient in six instruments: voice, violin, piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, and drums. His contemporary pop profile incorporates these musical disciplines alongside self-taught composition and hip-hop dance choreography. Utilizing his classical operatic background and the critical vocal direction established by Max Lawrence, Richie began collaborating with Grammy-nominated producer Jimmy Greco to transition into commercial pop music. His active projects include:

●      "Eclipse" - An original debut single released across major digital streaming platforms in August 2026.

●      Debut Album - A planned 12-track pop studio album scheduled for release in early 2027.

Awards and recognitions

Competitions

●      Prima Volta Music Competition - Second Place, Carnegie Hall, New York City (June 2018, 2019)

●      International Music Competition, Vienna - First Place & Young Musician Special Prize (September 2019)

●      National Artist Competition - First Place, Violin (January 2020)

●      Manhattan International Music Competition - First Place (December 2020)

●      New York Virtuoso International Competition - First Place (February 2021)

●      New York International Music Concours - First Place (May 2021)

●      New York International Music Concours (7th Edition) - First Place (July 2021)

●      Violin Rondo Festival - First Place, Carnegie Hall, New York City (October 2022)

●      New York Artists International Competition - First Place (August 2022)

Civic honors

●      New Jersey Legislature - Senate and General Assembly Citation for Artistic Value (January 2020)

●      New York State Senate - Award for Violin, First Prize (January 2021)