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Kids hit high note

It's time to let Hawaii's amazing kids take centerstage! On Saturday, our state's most talented young musicians will be showcased in the Honolulu Symphony's annual Youth Concerto Concert.

Our eight guest artists range from age 10 to 17, hail from a variety of schools and excel at their instruments. As winners of the Honolulu Symphony's Hawaii Youth Concerto Competition, they've won the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform as guest artists with our full orchestra.

Youth delight Hawaii Youth Concerto Concert: Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall Time: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Tickets: $15 adults; $10 for youths under 18 Call: Honolulu Symphony Ticket Office at 792-2000 or Ticketmaster at (877) 750-4400

This concert is an event that I enjoy for countless reasons. For starters, it's fun to be part of the excitement of so many "orchestra debuts." It also speaks volumes about the musical talent here. Most of all, it's a time to recognize the students' devotion to music, their hard work, and the sacrifices their families make to help them succeed.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, kids of all ages tried out for the competition organized by our volunteers, the Symphony Associates. Hoping for a chance to perform with the symphony on the big stage, they gathered on one weekend, dressed up and ready to play in front of a panel of judges. Their parents were there to offer support and encouragement, but in the end I wasn't sure who was more nervous: the child or the nail-biting moms and dads.

As I listened to the kids from my teacher's seat in the back of the hall, I couldn't help being filled with admiration for all of them. Some displayed more talent and proficiency than others, though as novelist Ursula K. Le Guin wrote, "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

In the five minutes allotted per child, we heard not only the carefully crafted music, but the dedication, hours of practice, miles driven for lessons and pressures.

In competitive environments, the most impressive quality displayed by young students is their genuine fair play and openness -- something often lost once we become adults. In return, adults give back to them appreciation.

THE KIDS YOU'LL hear on Saturday all have one thing in common. Simply put, it's a love of making music that allows them to express themselves in a way that isn't possible with words.

To get to that point, you have to practice a lot, and that's where kids' enthusiasm tapers, ever so slightly. That's when the parents come in. Like the cavalry coming to the rescue, they usually appear in the nick of time for a gentle but firm nudge.

For this competition, winners Tiffany Cheung and Maile Cha -- both pianists -- put in more than three hours every day. That's a lot of practicing, but they view musical sessions as a welcome relief from the school work put in during the day.

How do you get started on an instrument? In the case of two other winners, Riana Anthony and Melody Lindsay, we have two contrasting studies. Riana's mother is a cellist and that's where the 12-year-old got her first taste. As a little girl, she spent hours listening to her mom play the Haydn Concerto in C. It was only a matter of time before she caught on and performed this piece with us.

Melody, a self-motivated student, would not let anyone influence her decisions. Her mother is a conductor familiar with most instruments, so it was only natural that Melody would select the harp, the only instrument that remained a little obscure to her mother, but obscure to us no more, thanks to Melody's independent will and magical hands.

For many, the piano remains the most versatile instrument and that's what drew the interest of competition winners Eric Wu, 14; T.J. Tario, 10; and Monika Haar, 16. While Monika and T.J. will brighten our spirits with joyful and bouncy tunes, Eric will show off the great romantic melodies of Rachmaninoff. There's a substantial age difference among the three, but they're able to understand each other better through their musical affinities.

What role does music play in your formative years? Competition winner Ryan Tsukamoto, violinist and math wizard (he was accepted to both MIT and Cal Tech), explained how the two subjects help each other: "Both deal with patterns, and you can express music in terms of math. Conversely, being able to play music helps the left part of my brain flow smoothly when dealing with a math problem."

I don't know about you, but just excelling at music is good enough for me! I encourage you to listen to these talented young musicians, led by conductor Joan Landry, on Saturday. Let's show them our ohana spirit and how proud we are of their accomplishments.

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