From the Top’s broadcast for Show 262 was taped at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, PA on Sunday October 21, 2012. We asked our performers to tell us more about their experience on the show…

Quartet Stracciatella
IV. Allegro from String Quartet No.2 “Intimate Letters,”
By: Leoš Janácek

Erika Gray, 16, violin

As a group, we have talked about how this movement is a love story, putting emphasis on the title “Intimate Letters,” One of my favorite sections, no doubt, is an especially intimate section between the 2 violins: the melody and octaves are beautifully crafter. In a quartet rehearsal once, we came up with a very elaborate story – every time we rehearse this, we end up laughing at the story’s particular highlights.

What helped us in learning this piece a lot was creating characters and playing with those emotions. Definitely getting intonation was difficult but not so that we couldn’t accomplish it. This piece has such a high level of intensity that performing is exhausting. We know we’ve done our job if we are breathless by that last note.

Post-Show Reflection: There are so many favorite memories – of course, putting together the show and dancing to “Gangnam Style” for the bows was awesome. One memory that stuck out was the dinner at the Olive Garden. Stephanie, Johannes, Ariel, Daniel and I went and had the best time. We laughed so hard that Daniel fell out of his char. We really bonded, and created lifelong friendships. Ever since I was little, I had wanted to play on this show. Now that I have had that chance, it was incredible ad exhilarating! I had so much fun, and it was one of the most amazing performance opportunities ever!

Music has the power to inspire, make a difference, encourage, and take us beyond our limits.

HyunJae Lim, 14, violin

It is a unique piece, and there are “solo” parts marked for all of us.

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite moment was seeing how the From the Top radio show is taped. It was a new experience for me, and was exciting since so many people will be hearing it later on.

Music has the power to encourage, strengthen, and inspire people who may have difficulties with their lives or not. Without music, the world be just be in dead silence.

Stephanie Block, 18, viola

When I play this piece with my quartet, I think of all the chances it gives us to interact (more than usual) with one another. We have kind of a weird story that goes along with it that has to do with love affairs, going along with the “Intimate Letters” that Janacek wrote to a woman he loved. It has so many exciting and different emotions that are all CRAZY – what’s not to like? It’s so fun to play every time. Sometimes it was hard to get through it without laughing, though.

It can be a challenge for a group of young kids to play a piece like this without simply hacking though it. What we try to do is make sure the sweet and romantic parts are just as clear as the crazy ones. The hardest things to nail are definitely the crazy jumps and accidentals and coordinating them with the other members of the group!

Post-Show Reflection: There are too many good memories from the weekend! However, I think my top memories start with getting to know everyone, celebrating our Fischoff achievement on stage, bonding with my quartet and Daniel and Ariel for three hours at the Olive Garden, and of course convincing FTT to let us surprise the audience with “Gangnam Style”! The performance was just fun. I have been on a stage with my quartet many times, and the mutual care and understanding of each other always comes through when we perform. We knew it was going to be a blast, so there is nothing to worry about!

Music has the power to bring joy, relieve physical pain, heal broken hearts, invigorate, and inspire. Its power never fades.

Johannes Gray, 15, cello

Our quartet always thinks of a love story between the players, and there is some dream between us happening, so we all get mad at each other. Those are the angry sounding sections. But there are also the beautiful duet parts where everything is going swimmingly.

The most important thing is bringing our story to the audience. It has more meanng to them because as a more modern piece, it’s ore unusual than most classical pieces.

Post-Show Reflection: I loved going to the Olive Garden with some other performers, and bonding so well. We had so much fun and I feel like I know them so well. Performing on a stage is always an amazing experience and, as a quartet, it’s different than solo performance. I know I have a backup no matter what happens, are we’re here to have fun!

Music has the power to do anything, so long that people respect/listen to the music. As long as people love, it will continue to be a very powerful means of communication.

Ariana Chiu, 12, piano
“The Cat and the Mouse”
By: Aaron Copland

“The Cat and the Mouse” is an interesting piece of music because it’s an actual story based on a fable. When I play through the difference “scenes” of the story, I mostly think from the mouse’s point of view, not the cat’s. My favorite part of the “chasing” is the part where the mouse is hiding in the mouse hole. The cat is waiting impatiently outside the hole, slowly becoming drowsier…and drowsier. My least favorite part is when the mouse is at its funeral: the grave and sad part near the end. I can just imagine the cat chasing the mouse, succeeding, and then walking away like nothing happened.

When I perform this piece, I’m usually aiming to have the person who’s listening know what’s going on in the story. For example, the audience should recognize when the mouse is caught from the way I play that particular passage. The hardest part of playing this piece is maintaining the excitement. Compared to other pieces, this particular one should be the most recognizable in where the story is going, what it’s about, and where the peak resolution is.

Post-Show Reflection: Some highlights from the show were experiencing the rehearsals and meeting new friends! I really liked how everything was very welcoming and familiar, and made my experience on From the Top even better!!! (plus, dancing to “Gangnam Style” after bowing on stage!)

Performing was so exciting! The performance itself was so enjoyable, and the whole experience in general was/has been one of my biggest goals, and one of the biggest highlights of my musical experiences. I loved it!!!

I believe music has the power to do anything – if you believe in it and put your mind to it. In the future, I’m sure we all hope classical music will spread and that we can share our love and passion for music with everyone.

Ariel Horowitz, 16, violin
I. Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck from Sonata No.1 for Violin & Piano in A minor, Op.105
By Robert Schumann

I find this piece to be very dark – almost cold and evil at times. I know Schumann had many psychological issues, and this piece really reflects that – he switches from his angry, passionate side to his cold, austere side many times throughout the movements – sometime in the middle of the measure! It almost reminds me of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland: one second she is ordering peoples’ heads to be cut off, and the next she is haughty, and then she is weak and vulnerable. Schumann’s mood changes make shivers run down your spine.

Learning this piece has been a deeply emotional journey for me. I originally played the piece in a mushy, gushy romantic way – that is, until I played it for Professor William Van der Sloot at Morningside Music Bridge last summer. He told me to play the piece while cowering in the corner, as if I were in total darkness and hadn’t seen any light in twenty years! I’d never felt as frighteningly powerless while playing a piece of music before. Now, I always imagine I’m in a dark little hole when I play Schumann. The irony is that it takes a lot of power to convey the powerlessness and pain of the piece.

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite memory was going to Olive Garden with my new friends for dinner after the show! I had so much fun getting to know all of these talented people ,and we are all going to be lifelong friends! I hope we can have a musical reunion! For the radio taping, I felt completely at ease – I wasn’t nervous at all! I think it’s because the staff are all so friendly and welcoming. I felt really great about my performance, and sharing the stage with Christopher O’Riley was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Music brings people together across cultures, border, and experiences. If we can use that power to make a difference in our communities, we can make the world better.

Sophia Lee, 14, harp
“Féerie: Prélude et Danse”
By: Marcel Tournier.

“Féerie” is French for “fairy-like.” So when I play this piece, I imagine small magical creatures that flit about in various nature scenes. For example, the opening scene is a meadow. Twinkling fairies appear in different distances, depending on the dynamics. The piece is split into 2 parts – a prelude and a dance. My favorite part of the piece is the dance, which is quick and light. I imagine a fairy party with fairies enjoying various festivities, such as dancing and feasting.

This is by far the longest and most challenging piece I have every played. It is challenging, both technically and musically. There are a variety of techniques I use to make different sounds to create changing moods. The most important and difficult message to convey is the variety of different moods through this piece. There are brittle, sharp sounds and subtle sounds that can be achieved through harmonics.

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite memory was the dress rehearsal listening to everybody play and hearing about all of the great activities everyone does to incorporate music even more into their community. FTT definitely did so much to keep me relaxed. One of the best things was that it was organized and everybody was very professional, so I didn’t have to worry about important details (like moving the harp). Instead, I could concentrate on playing to the best of my ability

Music has the power to do whatever the musician wants. Using creativity and some resources, the musician can do whatever they want to help make a difference in the world and community.

Daniel Hass, 15, cello
III. Rasch, mit Feuer from Fantasiestücke, Op.73
By: Robert Schumann

This is a beautiful piece by Schumann, and I just enjoy playing it. It is lively and energetic, and very lyrical all at the same time. The piece has a lot of contrast between the lyrical part and the fiery part, and it is important to bring out those contrasts. Throughout the movement, motifs from previous movements appear, and you need to get in the mood of those movements just for these one or two bars.

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite memory was dinner at the Olive Garden. The live taping was really a lot of fun!

Music has the power to make people feel good and show them how to have fun!  

From the Top’s Show 261 was taped at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday, October 14, 2012. We asked our performers to share their thoughts on the music they performed for the show:

Sebastian Stoger, 13, cello
“Pezzo Capriccioso”
By: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

When I play this piece of music, I think about different emotions: some angry, but mostly happy. I think of the angry emotions at the introduction of the Pezzo capriccioso and the happy ones for the rest of the piece (especially the fast parts!) The first time I performed this pieced has been the first time I ever played it with the piano accompaniment. I thought I was going to have to stop at some parts because I thought that the piano and I would have some trouble being together, but surprisingly it worked our alright.

This piece of music is very special compared to other music that I’ve played. In playing this piece, it is harder to switch from different ways of playing emotions than other repertoire. Something that’s really hard to nail in this music is the last couple of fast runs in the last part of the piece. Every time I play the runs, I always get sloppy at that last part. I keep practicing that part over and over again so that the last part isn’t sloppy…yet the next day, it is sloppy again!

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite memory was the day that I performed: I was so happy to see my friends from the Perlman Music Program and my family. Since most of the lights were off in the house, the audience seemed so far away. It was only Chris and I who were together. This is a good thing, because then I didn’t have to be nervous about the audience.

Music has the power to open people’s minds, and give them a fascinating imagination. Music has the power to shape cultures, and most importantly, change people’s perspectives.

Bryan Duerfeldt, 18, recorder

When I perform this piece, I have two roles. The first is straightforward – transport my audience to a different time and place (I like to think of a dance in a royal court), and give them a sense of nobility and relaxations that they may not always get in their busy lives. My second purpose is to expose them to the wonderful capabilities of the recorder (a widely misunderstood instrument). This piece, perhaps more than any other, allows me to show of the technical passages yet also connect emotionally with the audience, to create beautiful moments.

This is my favorite piece of music for the recorder – which is lucky, considering the countless hours I’ve spent practicing and performing it over the past couple years. There is a certain lightness that needs to come across in the fast movements, an ease of playing that cannot betray frustrating technical difficulties.

Post-Show Reflection: I loved pretty much everything Elizabeth (Aoki) did – Literally – and getting to hear everybody play at the first rehearsal. For the show, I just remember feeling comfortable and relaxed; it was just about having fun and sharing myself with my audience. Everyone was on the same team: making something beautiful together.

Music can facilitate connections between audience and performer, and break down barriers – socioeconomic, ideological, etc. It is truly universal, a pure honest medium that can promote positive change.

Vanessa Meiling Haynes, 15, piano,
III. Allegro ma non troppo – Presto from Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op. 57, “Appassionata”
By: Ludwig van Beethoven

I think the third movement of this Sonata is crazy! Literally! It was written shortly after Beethoven realized that he would never get his hearing back and would become deaf. I feel Beethoven wrote this movement when he really wanted to let his built-up emotions free, almost like he’s writing “emotions fly away, scatter on the pages!” in musical form! Playing this movement is like running through the woods and being confused where I am. The further I run the more emotional themes I face. Finally, the woods thin – the emotions start to be clearer to Beethoven, so he goes into a coda that gives a completely different theme and emotion, almost like he is wanting to forget and move on. Then he remembers again, and here comes the most exciting ending cadence, where millions of bugs each filled with emotion fly by saying, “I’M DONE, GOOD BYE!”

I love Beethoven, and I love all of his piano sonatas. Many, including Beethoven, and me believe the Appassionata is one of his most tempestuous sonatas. The third movement is ESPECIALLY one of the most exciting but it is also one of the most difficult to grasp that I’ve ever learned. The most difficult aspect to nail is to be able to keep the intensity and keep the emotional meaningful through ALL of those flying notes, and not allow it to get boring. It is difficult to be able to control the timing of how many of the emotions should be allowed out, and how many should be kept in, to keep it very steady, and serious.

Post-Show Reflection: The live taping was SO MUCH FUN! I loved the crowd, the audience was so cheerful and supportive. Being able to share my story on stage with Mr. O’Riley was a great feeling.

Music has a great impact – it can tell stories, it can be personal, and it can definitely be therapeutic in a way. It can be all emotions.

Elizabeth Aoki, 9, violin 
“Introduction and Tarantelle,” Op.43
By: Pablo de Sarasate

I like the piece – I don’t care for the Introduction, but really like the Tarantelle: it’s fast and exciting. To me, this piece reminds me of a fast dance. I played this piece for the United Nation’s Secretary General.

Compared to my other pieces, which are long like concertos, this piece is very short. When I’m playing, I think about intonation a lot. I hope and want to touch people’s heart though my music.

Post-Show Reflection: Everything was really fun, and the live performance was very exciting.

Music has the power to touch people’s hearts.

William Su, 18, bass/baritone
“Amor marinaro” (Sailor’s love)
By: Gaetano Donizetti

Post-Show Reflection: I had a really good time in the show and at the rehearsals – I loved the feeling of being on that stage, and felt that the audience was very interested.

Music can help people find out who they are.

The performers sporting their From the Top medals after the taping

Late October found us in Davis, California where we taped an episode of the radio show at the Mondavi Center, a stunning concert hall on the campus of UC Davis. This show was full of interesting and talented kids, including three who’ve won major competitions.

Kicking things off was a very young violinist –12-year-old Alex Zhou, who played one of my favorite violin showpieces, Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen. He was followed by flutist Annie Wu,who not only played classical flute, but also a beatboxing piece (you’ve got to check this out in the sneak peek – it’s pretty amazing)!

17-year-old Alex Holcomb was up next playing Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude transcribed for classical guitar. Chopin on guitar is not something you hear every day, and he played beautifully.

We met pianist Phoebe Pan next, who actually first met Christopher O’Riley when he was one the judges at a piano competition she won. We had to have some fun with the fact that three of the kids on this show were competition winners by having them compete in a quiz called “A Competition Competition.” The winning prize was a fabulous, aluminum, deluxe, logo-emblazoned From the Top water bottle! Clearly there was a lot at stake.

Closing the show was a trio of teens, all new to the U.S. from three different countries, who performed from “The 4 Seasons of Beunos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla – an exciting ending to a great show.

Check out the sneak peek below, and don’t forget to tune in when the show airs the week of January 14!

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It’s that time of year again – The Blount-Slawson Young Artists Competition is accepting applications! Musicians in grades 7-12 can enter to win prizes including $10,000 cash, a performance with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, and an appearance on From the Top! String, wind, brass, percussion, and piano students are eligible to apply. Applications must be postmarked no later than December 7.

Click here for more information about the competition.

Evelyn Mo performs L’isle joyeuse by Claude Debussy on her From the Top appearance in March of 2012 after winning the Blount-Slawson Young Artist Competition.

All competitors will play one concerto movement in the preliminary round on January 26 at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, and nine finalists will perform on Sunday, January 27. From the Top Music Producer Tom Vignieri is once again a member of the judging panel – click here to read his behind-the-scenes account of the competition!

We encourage all young musicians to consider this wonderful opportunity, so please share this information.

All of the young musicians posing with host Chris O’Riley after their impromptu performance!

Towards the end of October we were in Greensburg, Pennsylvania for a taping at the Palace Theatre. It was a great show and the young musicians really bonded and had fun together– as evidenced by what happened during curtain call!

In what has to be one of the most unexpected moments in From the Top history, the entire group of young performers decided to treat the audience to a little Gangnam Style.

Haven’t heard of that? Have no fear – I hadn’t either until being schooled by the kids! Basically, “Gangnam Style” is the name of a catchy pop tune with a video that features the singer doing highly comical dance moves, and it has become a huge Youtube sensation.

Anyway, right before the show was to begin, we were all backstage getting ready to go on ­– and in From the Top land, that generally means laughing and goofing around. There’s always an atmosphere of excitement and energy before the show starts, and on this particular occasion several of the kids were having fun showing off their “Gangnam Style” dance moves to each other. And then they came up with this crazy idea…

Flash forward to the end of the show. It’s curtain call and all of the young performers have walked onstage to take their final bows. They bow as per usual, and the audience cheers, and then, without warning, the “Gangnam Style” song comes on over the speakers, and all of the kids start dancing! It definitely made for a fun and unique end to one of our shows.

I found out afterwards that the kids had stormed the control room with their curtain call idea – and as one of them happened to have an mp3 of the song handy (and as our producers happen to be extremely cool), they made it happen!

Of course we managed to capture some of this on Flipcam, and you can see it at the end of this week’s sneak peek! Enjoy, and make sure to tune in when this show airs the first week of January 2013.

I think it is very important for musicians these days to be flexible and able to do many types of jobs in the music world aside from playing an instrument. 

Cellist Nikita Annenkov (Show 238) had a really unique experience this past summer at the Chamber Music Connection’s (CMC) Summer Music Festival – he was a teacher, a mentor, and an arts administrator. Nikita reflects on his experience at the festival below…

I have been with Chamber Music Connection (CMC) since 2007, which was when I moved to Ohio from Uzbekistan. I was a recipient of the Chamber Music Columbus Scholarship and was also a part of the CMC Fellowship Program. My chamber music experience comes mostly from CMC – I grew to love the program as it guided me on the path to be a well-rounded musician over the years. I attended CMC’s 2012 Summer Festival as a returning alumnus, where I assisted with chamber ensemble coachings and helped advertise CMC to the community. I think it is very important for musicians these days to be flexible and able to do many types of jobs in the music world aside from playing an instrument. It is well known that times are tough for young musicians, so being a well-rounded musician with many skills, including administrative, will provide more opportunities to succeed in the field of music.

This summer I experienced what it can be like in the “real professional world”. As part of promoting CMC, for example, I had to contact local businesses and find advertising opportunities. At first I was very nervous, having not had much experience talking to business people – I was officially representing CMC and had to be professional. After the first few places I visited, it started to become much easier – by the end of an hour of meetings, I had talked to a number of business owners who were happy to host a chamber music group’s performance during the festival week. One business even offered to host a small fundraiser and donate a portion of the profits to support CMC. I learned that it is as important to be able to represent yourself and make a name for yourself as knowing how to play your instrument; talent and skills will not mean much when nobody knows about you. Being engaged with musicians but not actually performing made me think of other career choices I might like if it doesn’t work out with cello performance. I have thought about other career choices and I found that I would enjoy other subjects, such as teaching theory or becoming a music critic. When the festival started, I would take a group to downtown Worthington everyday at lunch to play in front of a local business. Of course, since the program was mostly made up of younger musicians, Graeter’s Ice Cream became the favorite place to play. This year CMC celebrated its 20th anniversary, but there were still people from the community who had never heard of the program – they quickly came to enjoy the “Classical Music – Ice Cream Afternoon Special”.  I also got a chance to coach a chamber music orchestra, which was very interesting. I haven’t had much experience coaching young musicians before, so I had to adjust and find ways to make the rehearsal interesting and productive.

The whole experience of being an alum, as well as being a part of CMC, but not as a performer, definitely made me feel more professional and responsible. My task of promoting CMC may not have been a difficult one, but it was very rewarding. I had to make decisions, take charge, and be on time – all tasks worth having as a performer. I am very happy that I had an opportunity to challenge myself this way and have such a productive summer.

Music is amazing when you are working on it, but it is so much more rewarding when you know that there are people who can simply appreciate all the longs hours you put into practicing.

Flutist Karen Baumgartner (Show 250), A From the Top Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist, believes that “music has the power to bring people into a story and draw them into a performance”. It was this very belief that inspired her to visit the residents of the Johana Shores Assisted Living Community – a group of people who otherwise have limited access to live concert experiences. In addition to meeting some lovely new people, Karen gained an even broader view of what it means to be a musician.

We asked Karen some questions to learn more about her visit to Johana Shores…

FTT: What made this visit memorable?

Karen: I absolutely loved connecting with the residents and staff in the nursing home. I got to the nursing home a little early and was able to play some card games with a few people there. It was fun to tell them that I was going to be performing, and to then see how much they enjoyed the music. Everyone was so appreciative to have me play and were all very engaged.

FTT: Did you learn anything new from the experience?

Karen: It made me love being a performer even more than I did before, and made me realize how much people can appreciate music. It was fun to play at such a close and personal level because I got to hear feedback after every piece. At a formal recital, you hear the applause but don’t get to hear people’s comments and questions . . . at the nursing home, so many of the people were interested, and I was happy to talk to them about my musical background and plans. It’s easy to get caught up in the routine of performing and hearing the applause but it was nice to have the routine shaken up for a change and get positive feedback right when the piece was done. Playing in the nursing home made me remember that the reason I can hope to make a career out of music is because there are people who love to listen to classical music just as much as I love to perform it.

FTT: Were there any surprises?

Karen: After one of the pieces I performed, I was able to talk about my amazing opportunity to appear on From the Top and play at Carnegie Hall. I expected most people to know what Carnegie Hall was, but it was fun to see some of the people perk up and talk about how they listen to From the Top. I also talked about my performances on Minnesota Public Radio, and found out that the residents listen to it everyday at lunch. I wasn’t expecting to be able to help them connect something they hear on the radio to someone they can see in real life; I was happy that I could be that connection.

FTT: What does being an “arts leader” mean to you? 

Karen: It means that I will make an effort that isn’t always the easy choice, such as performing in classrooms at a school, or trying to get my friends to understand what I love about classical music so much! Being an arts leader means that instead of focusing on myself and being a better player all the time, I will focus on sharing my talent and the impact it has on others around me. I will not just show off my talent at recitals and performances, but will try to connect with people and help them see why music is so important to me.

October was a busy, but wonderfully energizing, month. The weekend after our Troy, New York, show, we were back at our home base, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston for a taping that featured a diversity of kids who expressed all sorts of new ways of looking at things.

For instance, 18-year-old recorder aficionado Bryan Duerfeldt  proved without a doubt that the recorder wasn’t just an instrument for elementary school classrooms! He talked about the perceptions people have about the instrument, and not only performed a gorgeous baroque piece, but also a contemporary jazz piece. Something that didn’t make it into the show was that, in part of the jazz piece, Bryan played two recorders at the same time! It was totally unexpected and cool, and of course, I made sure to catch it on video. Make sure to check our website when the show goes live to see him in action.

Another young musician whose story struck me was William Su, a teenage baritone originally from Beijing. He talked about having been kicked out of his school choir in China because his loud, low voice didn’t blend well with the others. This experience, while initially crushing, eventually led him to attend Walnut Hill School for the Arts, where his outstanding voice is now being appreciated and nurtured.

15-year-old Pianist Vanessa Haynes gorgeously performed the third movement of Beethoven’s “Appasionata” Sonata and then entertainingly went head to head with Chris O’Riley in a game of identifying film scores, and 13-year-old Sebastian Stoger, with his wonderfully infectious smile, performed Tchaikovsky’s Pezzo Capriccioso.

At the close of the show we were introduced to perhaps the teeniest musician who we’ve ever featured – 9-year-old violinist Elizabeth Aioki who played Sarasate’s Introduction and Tarantelle. She played it on a quarter-sized violin, but you would never know it by the huge sound!

Check out the sneak peek below, and make sure to tune in when this show is broadcast in mid-December.

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From the Top’s broadcast for Show 257 was taped at the Chautauqua Amphitheater of the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York on Friday July 20, 2012. We asked our performers to tell us about the music they performed on the show:

Laura Park, 18, violin
Waltz-Scherzo, Op.34
By: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

I think that the Waltz-Scherzo is a very cute and enjoyable piece. The waltz aspect gives it lift and charm, while the scherzo aspect makes it entertaining and easy to listen to. The hardest thing about this piece would be that it needs to stay light. It’s easy to accidentally become heavy and sound like a march. Therefore, I have to always keep aware of the piece’s character.

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite memory is during the actual live show taping when all of us were upstairs in the dressing room just hanging out and having fun and supporting whoever left to perform and congratulating whoever came back in after performing. The show itself was so much fun because the audience was very warm, laughing at all of our jokes and giving standing ovations, and the staff members were all super chill and friendly. The time spent on stage seemed to just fly by.

I believe music has the power to bring a group of people together that otherwise might not meet each other.

Xavier Jara, 18, guitar
?Sonata in D Major, K.53
?By: Domenico Scarlatti

My favorite part is when the voices in the bass and treble are jumping back and forth while the haunting arpeggios play in the middle – it gets me every time.

Technically, this is by far the hardest piece I’ve every played. It’s got just about everything that guitarists fear. This is also a big reason why I play it – it really shows off just what the guitar is capable of doing.

Franz Zhao, 18, composer/piano
(performed with From the Top alum Alli Switala, 18, violin)
?”Ideas”
?By: Franz Zhao

My piece, “Ideas”, originally started out as several thoughts or emotions, each of them embodying its own musical fragment. Each of these fragments were embedded into the piece, allowing for each thought to be expressed to the audience – the opening, a slow introduction consisting of a question and answer-esque line can be seen as mysterious; the somewhat quicker main theme can be interpreted as or shocking, and the rapid-paced middle section can be described as rampaging. Personally, the part I enjoy playing the most in the piece would be the quick, main theme section in 4+3/4 time. Keeping communication and staying together between the musicians is always fun, exciting, and enjoyable.

The main thing that I would consider special about playing “Ideas” compared to other works I have played would be that it was one of my own works. Though I have written many works, I rarely get a chance to perform in them. Also, what made learning my own piece “special” was that I was able to interpret it any way I deemed proper or appropriate.

Post-Show Reflection: My favorite memory from the experience would probably have to be our time backstage during the show – the atmosphere was a perfect mix of nerves, tension, and excitement. Filming our introductions was also a very interesting memory – the endless giggling, face-palming and inability to keep a straight face made it quite the experience. Since it was my first experience with anything of the sort, I did not know at all what to expect from performing on the show; I have been listening to the show for several years, but the procedure was very new to me, nevertheless. In addition, I was not expecting an audience of nearly 5,000 people, and seeing the endless sea of spectators gave me quite the rush when I first walked out. Though my nerves did not affect me much during the actual performance of my piece, they returned to me when I walked up to the microphone for my “interview”. Thoughts such as “What line do I say now?” or “I hope my voice doesn’t sound too squeaky today” rushed through my head as the interview began.

I believe that music has the power to change people’s feelings and emotions. Listeners will often subject their emotions or feelings to match those which are coming from the music. For example, Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood” can be described as yearning and nostalgic, and it is easy for someone to envelop these emotions while listening to it, while other works such as Tchaikovsky’s “Trepak” from “The Nutcracker” and be described as very upbeat and lively and have a much happier influence on a listener.

Emily Helenbrook, 18, soprano
?“O luce di quest’anima” from Linda di Chamounix
?By: Gaetano Donizetti

It is my favorite piece to sing. I think about the thing that makes me happiest at that given moment. So it changes, but what doesn’t change is the text and context of the aria in the opera – so I just think of whatever is most exciting, like going to Italy in August or something! I think of sunshine, good-looking men, and getting flowers when I sing this.

The best and most special thing about this piece is the fact that Renee Fleming suggested this piece for me. She told me that it would fit me well, so I learned it immediately! Also, I wrote all of my own embellishments, so it is always to show them off!

Post-Show Reflection: I loved spending time with the other performers, especially hearing them perform for the first time and then waiting backstage with them before the show. I also enjoyed being with the staff…they are all so fun and kind! I felt deeply honored to be on the same program as the other kids who were SOOOO talented. And, the audience was appreciative and responsive which was amazing!

I believe music can change people’s lives, as it does mine; especially in times of grief. I believe that if it can bring even a moment of peace or happiness, that music has all the power in the world.

Ho Joon Kim, 13, piano
Hungarian Rhapsody, No.12 in C-sharp minor
By: Franz Lizst

This piece seems to be the most dramatic work out of all the pieces I have played. For some reason, the Hungarian Rhapsody brings the impending feeling of war, and basically victory in the stretta. I can see the symphonic nature Lizst tried to imitate, and the capriciosso nature of the rhapsody resembles the gypsy-like theme.

This piece is, so far, the most challenging piece I have ever played. Not only does it demand technical virtuosity, but also profound thought on ways to play the piece. It sounds like a written-out improvisation, so making the piece sound “naturally improvisational” was difficult. Also, it was difficult to play every single note in the runs of the stretta.

October is a busy month here in From the Top land. Last week we taped a show in Troy, New York; this past weekend we taped one in Boston; we’re off to Greensburg, Pennsylvania in a few days, and then we round out the month in Davis, California! But will I manage to post my blog in a timely manner during this mad rush of shows? That, my friends, remains to be seen.

Coolest cello case ever! It was hand-painted by cellist Miriam Liske-Doorandish.

But let’s start out on the right foot with a blog about our recent show in Troy! It was an all-cello extravaganza taped at the stunning Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. In addition to four phenomenal young cellists, we had the pleasure of featuring one of the master cellists of our time, Matt Haimovitz. He and Chris O’Riley are great friends and collaborators, and the two of them have been touring the country this year performing together. They also recently released an album called “Shuffle.Play.Listen.” which I encourage you to check out as it has quickly become one of my faves.

Like Chris, Matt is well known for stretching the boundaries of classical music, and he regularly performs in unexpected places to reach new audiences. In the spirit of that, we set up an impromptu performance at a local bookstore during lunch hour on the day of the show. Matt and the four young cellists surprised customers at Market Block Books with an electrifying performance of John McLaughlin’s “Open Country Joy” arranged for five cellos! We caught the whole thing on video, of course, and will post it when the show goes live. You definitely don’t want to miss it.

The taping that night was so exciting and full of truly remarkable cello playing, not to mention cello “drumming” (you’ll have to check out “Open Country Joy” to see exactly what I mean). Enjoy this week’s sneak peek – and don’t forget to tune in when the show airs the first week of December!

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