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From the TopAlvin Zhu's grandfather was
a famous pianist and the head of the piano department at the
Beijing Conservatory of Music.
From the Top, November 28, 2007 - This week, From the Top
comes from the Chandler Music Hall in Randolph, Vermont, and
features a teenage violinist from Woodstock performing the
music of Fritz Kreisler, a French horn player performing
Strauss, and a 16-year-old pianist from Pittsburgh who is
carrying out his grandfather's musical legacy.
One could say Alvin Zhu was born to play piano. "My
grandfather, Zhu Gongyi, was a famous pianist in China and
the head of the piano department at the Beijing Conservatory
of Music," says Zhu. "However, due to the Cultural
Revolution, he was forced to lock up his piano, and none of
his four children were able to learn to play. When my
parents came to America, they wanted to let my generation
continue the legacy of my grandfather."
Zhu's parents, while they couldn't study piano, became
string players and teachers in America. "They have been
incredibly supportive of me," Zhu says. He also appreciates
the advice he received from one of his idols, the superstar
pianist Lang Lang. Zhu had the good fortune of being able to
take two private master classes with Lang Lang.
"The best tip he gave me was to show the audience how much I
enjoy playing the music," says Zhu, who did just that with
his energetic performance of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody.
Seventeen-year-old Katie Jordan's musical life began at the
age of five with piano lessons, but when she wanted to join
the school band in the fourth grade, she realized she'd have
to take up an additional instrument. She decided to try the
horn because no one in band was playing one and she liked
how shiny it was.
"I actually progressed faster on French horn than I did on
piano." she says. "I'm glad I started with piano, though,
because by the time I joined the band program I was already
familiar with the fundamentals of music." Jordan plays music
from Richard Strauss's first Horn Concerto.
Like Jordan, Christopher Pell, 16, already played the piano
when he encountered what is now his primary instrument.
Chris found success with the clarinet from the very first
moment he picked it up in fourth grade.
"I noticed this instrument that was black and silver and
pretty cool-looking," Pell says. With aspirations of
coolness motivating him, Chris tested it out by playing an
open note and, rather than squeaks, a beautiful sound came
out. "The teacher had all the kids stop what they were doing
and listen to me play that one note," he recalls. "Then she
had everyone clap for me! From that point on, I wasn't
allowed to try any other instruments. The teachers wouldn't
let me." Pell plays a rondo by Carl Maria von Weber.
Dorothea Talento, 18, was inspired to play violin by her
uncle, Pop Wagner, a professional musician who plays fiddle
and guitar.
"When I was little, he'd dress me up like a cowboy with a
big hat and boots, like he wears," she recalls. "When I was
about five he gave me a tiny violin and taught me my first
tune." These days Dorothea (who goes by "Thea") spends most
of her time playing classical violin, but she also enjoys
playing fiddle music and going to folk music concerts. She
performs Tempo di Menuetto by Fritz Kreisler, accompanied by
Christopher O'Riley.
Hailing from the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra's chamber
music program, the Cerberus Trio is comprised of siblings
Kevin Hu, violin, and Ophelia Hu, piano, with cellist Mira
Luxion. When the group was looking for a name, Mira wanted
to call the trio "Fluffy," after the three-headed dog from
the Harry Potter series, but her sister suggested
"Cerberus," the ancient Greek equivalent of the same
character.
"We decided to go with that rather than 'Fluffy' because it
was a lot classier," she says. The group plays the finale
from Smetana's Trio in G minor without the aid of sheet
music. "We made a decision to play this piece from memory
because we really wanted to communicate with each other,"
says Mira. "When you're not staring at a music stand, you're
able to look at each other and listen better."
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