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LA JOLLA, Calif. (FOX 5\/KUSI)<\/a> \u2014 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.<\/p>\n \u201cMusic is music because you\u2019re telling a story,\u201d Chen said. \u201cPerforming is not just about how you practice. It\u2019s also about how you take care of yourself, sleeping, eating right, exercising right \u2014 that all contributes to who you are and therefore how you play your instrument and how you present yourself in front of a crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n Wild Tunes program soothes shelter animals through music <\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to incentivize students to come out because classical music can be harder to access for younger people,\u201d she said. \u201cTo me, it means so much, so I just want to share that.\u201d<\/p>\n Kids are free at SeaWorld San Diego during Halloween events <\/a><\/p>\n Her connection to music runs deeper than competition. Chen\u2019s first piano teacher was her mother, who passed away three years ago after a battle with cancer.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout her, I wouldn\u2019t have even found my love for music, so I owe it greatly to her,\u201d Chen said. \u201cEverything I do now is partially due to and dedicated to her, because I wouldn\u2019t even be here without her.\u201d<\/p>\n