LA JOLLA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Vicky Chen, 17, is already making an impact in the world of classical music. The La Jolla Country Day School (LJCDS) senior has been playing piano since she was 5-years-old and says her passion for music is tied closely to life itself.
“Music is music because you’re telling a story,” Chen said. “Performing is not just about how you practice. It’s also about how you take care of yourself, sleeping, eating right, exercising right — that all contributes to who you are and therefore how you play your instrument and how you present yourself in front of a crowd.”
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Chen recently won first place in the Coronado Philharmonia Concerto Competition, earning a $500 prize for her performance of a Greek piano concerto. Instead of spending the money on herself, she decided to use it to buy tickets for her classmates to attend her upcoming concert.
“I wanted to incentivize students to come out because classical music can be harder to access for younger people,” she said. “To me, it means so much, so I just want to share that.”
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Her connection to music runs deeper than competition. Chen’s first piano teacher was her mother, who passed away three years ago after a battle with cancer.
“Without her, I wouldn’t have even found my love for music, so I owe it greatly to her,” Chen said. “Everything I do now is partially due to and dedicated to her, because I wouldn’t even be here without her.”
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Chen will perform with the Coronado Philharmonia on Saturday night. For her, the concert is both a tribute to her mom and a way to bring her classmates along on her musical journey.
Chen’s middle school teacher at LJCDS’s strings/orchestra teacher, Joe Rowling has been a part of Chen’s success and will also get to perform alongside her in the upcoming concert.
Chen also credits her childhood piano teacher, Tingtin Zhang for being a mentor and teaching her piano at a young age. For Chen, music runs in her family with her two brothers and she hopes to inspire the next generation of musicians.
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