Cooke

Phuong Nghi on "From the Top" (photo courtesy of John Servies)

Phuong Nghi Pham, a 14-year-old pianist from Dorchester, MA and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipient, wrote a letter to Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools District, appealing for a spending increase on the city’s musical education programs for the following school-year budget.

Phuong Nghi shares her letter to Dr. Johnson below:

Dear Superintendent Johnson,

As you know, most schools had to make large budget cuts due to the recent economic recession. This included laying off teachers as well as cutting back or eliminating parts of the curriculum that may be perceived as unnecessary in the students’ growth and development. The budget crisis has and will have huge impacts on the arts departments in schools because many people do not consider art to be part of the core curriculum. I write this letter to ask for your support in saving the arts and funding the musical education of youth.

My name is Phuong Nghi Pham. I am a 14 year-old pianist from Dorchester and am currently in the eighth grade at Boston Latin School. This past February, I had the honor of performing in Jordan Hall on From the Top, a National Public Radio program showcasing America’s top young classical musicians. It is simply impossible to forget the passion and commitment I received from the staff and the two other talented young musicians who also performed in this taping with me. From the Top, however, is not just about that sole performance. It is about young classical musicians reaching out and communicating to others through music.

Regardless of whether one plays an instrument or not, music is still an integral part of everyday life. After all, it is everywhere and has lasted through the most difficult times in history. For me, music has the power to invite both relaxation and self-expression. I believe that the more people are introduced to classical music, the more they will appreciate the influence it has had on the different societies and cultures today. I think arts programs in schools are great opportunities for this exposure because kids explore, learn, and retain better in a learning environment. In addition, the skills gained from studying music can improve academic performance because they have to practice self-discipline, think creatively, and work collaboratively.

In fact, it was a school music program that opened the musical door to me. I was in a small class in kindergarten with other five year-olds. The main goal was simply to get the kids more familiarized with music. In the room, there were several tiny keyboards where we played and tried out various sounds. The teacher had seen potential in my playing and recommended that I move up to the piano – a more challenging instrument. And it all began from there…

At my school last year, there were decisions to reduce the number of teachers from the arts departments as part of the budget cuts. That meant that there would only be about three or four teachers in total for both visual arts and music. As a result, fewer students will be able to participate in music classes, ensembles, and bands. The chance of these programs lasting is slim. However, they have been extremely helpful to me and other students. They allow us to create a positive learning environment that encourages creativity, independence, and communication. In a time when there are many difficulties and hardships in life, music is one of the things that can comfort and give us the courage to keep going. Not only that, young musicians like us will be able to share this gift by inspiring others and enriching the world through our music-making!

I understand that as the school superintendent, you have to make very difficult decisions in creating the budgets for the coming school year. Please keep in mind that small as they may seem, these arts programs really can provide opportunities for young musicians to explore their own abilities and help many others cope with challenges in life. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Phuong Nghi Pham

(photo courtesy of John Servies)

We asked Phuong Nghi a few questions about her letter to Superintendent Carol R. Johnson:

FTT: Why did you choose this project?

Phuong Nghi: Because of the unstable economy, most school budgets have been and are being cut. People like Dr. Johnson are involved in making the decision of which curriculum should be kept and which are not as necessary. Last year in my school, there was the decision of laying off some teachers who teach music and arts because it was not considered as important as other academic subjects. I do not want something like this to keep on happening again.

FTT: What did you hope to communicate to Dr. Johnson in your letter?

Phuong Nghi: Through this letter, I wanted to make her aware that musical education is very essential to students. It helps you to express yourself in new ways, acquire new skills, and it can also improve academic achievements as well.

FTT: What did you learn from the experience?

Phuong Nghi: It redefined, for myself, the role that music plays in my life. Because this is the first time I wrote a letter to an official, this experience helped me gain more skills in advocating about music to other people and being persuasive as well. Writing this letter helped me to understand how there are many, many ways to share music with others beside performing on stage.

Stay tuned for an update on her efforts!

This spring, 17 year-old composer/bassoonist Tim Woos, a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist, held composition workshops at two different schools in Vermont - the Integrated Arts Academy in Burlington and the North Branch School in Ripton. For each school, he created  a “composing game”: a program that engaged the students as composers using visual aids and noisemakers. It was a big hit!

Tim at the Integrated Arts Academy

Tim wanted to show the students how composing music is by no means linear, and that the possibilities are endless. Tim shares more:

We asked Tim to share more about his “composing game” and the overall experience:

FTT: How did you come up with your project idea?

Tim: I knew from the start that I wanted to go into schools and talk about being a composer. Not many kids really know what a composer does. My teacher, David Ludwig, has done a lot of presentations in schools. He advised me to involve the students as much as I could, so I decided on the composing game.

FTT: What was the experience like for you? How did the two schools compare?

Tim: It was an incredible experience. The students were as engaged and excited about what we were doing as they possibly could have been.

At the first performance (North Branch), it was very clear that the group performing was embarrassed and uncomfortable. They were laughing while they were playing and not taking it seriously. After they were done, I asked the other students for their comments. Most of the students said they wanted to hear the piece again because the performers were very distracting.

This made the performers realize that the other students actually wanted to hear their piece. They performed it again and it was much better. We then heard the other groups’ pieces. They were all very different and extremely creative. I was so impressed with all of the students and the work they had done.

As for the Integrated Arts Academy, I was very impressed with the school and the work they are doing. When the kids learned that I was going to school just for music one of them asked, “so, all you’re going to do is write music all day? I want to go to music school!”

The school is the only arts magnet school in the state. It’s located in a part of Burlington called the Old North End. This is the poorest area of the city and many of the kids are refugees from other countries and don’t speak English very well.

FTT: Can you give us an example of how the “composing game” works?

Tim: (At the North Branch School) I gave them the following instructions:

1. Fold your piece of paper in half.
2. Draw an enclosed shape anywhere on the paper.
3. Draw a line, wavy or straight, that connects any one side of the paper to any other side.
4. Unfold the piece of paper and draw another wavy or straight line from anywhere to anywhere.
5. Draw one thing, anything you want, wherever you want.

After they drew their “scores”, the class split into three groups of 9. Tal (Birdsey – the class teacher) went with one group, Rose Messner, the math teacher, went with another, and I went with the last. Each group picked one of the drawings to use as a score. They all went into different places after that. One group went outside. Two students grabbed their acoustic guitars and one grabbed an electric bass. I made them put the instruments away.

The pieces they came up with were very creative. One group used a piece of Sonotube, two PVC pipes, a wheelbarrow, a hand-pushed lawnmower, the top of a garbage can filled with sand, and a handful of marbles. All of the groups were very tied to rhythm and always wanted a clear beat. While they were still working on the pieces, I encouraged all of the groups to use both clear rhythm and very free rhythm as two “compositional devices” to express the score more effectively. They did a great job of this.

FTT: What do you think the students took away from the event?

Tim: That composing is not a strange thing to do. All of the students went through the process of creating a piece of music.

The game is interesting because it separates composing from performing. They were not writing a piece for a violin, they were writing it for a salad bowl and a plastic cup. For some of them, it will be a cool thing that they did once. For others, they could have been hooked and want to start writing music or playing an instrument.

I wanted them to see that no matter what it is they create, whether it’s a poem, a drawing, or a piece of music, the process of creating that thing is very engaging and feels really good to do.

It was a really great project. I know I got a lot out of it, and I know the students did as well.

Reed Messner, a student at the North Branch School, wrote an article that was published on his teacher’s (Tal Birdsey’s) blog, A Room for Learning. Click here to read Reed’s article on Tim’s visit.

As a Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist, 17 year-old vocalist Kara Sainz, along with three peers from the Murrieta Valley High School choir, organized an interactive program demonstrating classical music for a group of nearly 75 elementary school children at the Ysabel Barnett Elementary School in Temecula, CA.

Kara with fellow vocalists at the Ysabel Barnett Elementary School

The program was titled the “Joy of Opera” and included several short selections from well-known works, both solo and ensemble. Opera is especially foreign to this age group, and Kara’s goal was to raise awareness and to expand the children’s understanding of and desire to explore classical music. She shares more:

Kara on "From the Top"

“The younger generation is a very important one, in that they are the future audience, and by influencing them through music presentations, it is setting up for a life where classical music/opera can continue to enrich peoples’ lives.”

Kara’s Program Structure:

• Performance: selections from Rossini’s La Cerentola, Mozart’s Voi Che Sapete (The Marriage of Figaro), and Delibes’ Lakmé Duet (Lakmé)
• Harmony Activity: discussion of major and minor triads
• Instrument Demonstrations: discussion of each instrument’s sound, origin, and purpose.
• Q&A Session

We asked Kara a few questions about the performance and the overall experience:

FTT: Why did you choose this activity?

Kara: I chose this activity because I find that young children do not know what opera is.  By holding a concert, I hope to open their eyes and minds to classical music and possibly a desire to ask questions or learn more on their own.  I hope that by influencing these young children, they will carry music with them forever.

FTT: What were your goals with the project?

Kara: Our objective was to educate young kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity to be exposed to classical music.  It was also a goal of mine to let the kids know that the study of music is something that they can pursue in middle school, high school, and beyond.

FTT: What was the experience like for you? Was there a favorite moment?

Kara: This project was more work than I anticipated, but well worth the effort. Because the word “music” is such a general term, I discovered that there were many ways to approach the kids while introducing them to opera. Overall, it was an extremely rewarding experience.

My favorite part of the presentation was at the end, when the kids asked questions. They had really inquisitive questions, which meant they were thinking about the presentation. I like that I had an effect on their thoughts about music. They were very interested in the different languages and how fairytales can be made into operas. I believe these kids now have a basic understanding and awareness of classical music in their world, which was an extremely important goal of mine for this project.

FTT: What have you learned from your project? Any insights you would like to share with us?

Kara: From this experience, I learned first hand that it is possible for one person to affect many people. I learned that if you talk, someone will listen. For most of these kids, it might have been their first time ever hearing classical music.  However, I truly hope that it’s not their last!

Overall, I learned that I have the drive to put on more presentations because the kids’ reactions were invaluable to me. This experience has already helped my development as a musician in that I have even more of a purpose to share this art form with new and excited faces.

FTT: Any advice for other musicians who want to do similar outreach performance for children?

Kara: Kids want to be entertained and if you’re excited and passionate about what you’re presenting, they will respond.  You have to be flexible when working with children, and not afraid to change your agenda. I was glad to have a larger audience, but had to make some adjustments at the last minute. All in all it really motivated me to do future presentations as my education progresses.

We recently received an amazing email from alum and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Bella Markham, who you may remember had a fantastic Arts Leadership project we profiled a few weeks ago.  We share her thoughts below on how the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award has changed her life.

Mr. Perlman and Bella

When I received the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award last year, the first thing that I considered was attending the Perlman Music Program again (PMP). Last summer (2009) I spent 6 1/2 weeks on Shelter Island, New York studying under the direction of Itzhak and Toby Perlman. It was the most amazing staff of instructors. I studied with Heidi Castleman, one of the most incredible viola instructors I have ever studied with. It was the most inspirational and challenging musical experience that I have ever had. It was there, last summer that I made the decision that I wanted to be a professional violist for a lifelong career! I knew that my goal was to make this program a part of my education and development as a musician an annual priority. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation made it possible for me to attend again this summer! It truly was a gift not only to me but to others in the world that I can share with.

A typical day at PMP would start off with breakfast, some aerobics class to pump us up for practicing, then practice time from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, of course with 10 minute breaks at each hour. After lunch, we usually have chamber rehearsals and coaching with the head chamber instructor Merry Peckham. If time allows then it’s always nice to go relax on the beach or go swimming! Sometimes I took my sketchbook to draw the beautiful outlook on the beach. At 5:00, we all go to chorus where we have a wide variety of music to sing, from Mozart’s Requiem to Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. I never imagined myself being able to sing such amazing works of music, chorus is so much fun! After chorus, we have dinner. And let me tell you, there will never be a camp that has better food than PMP! For example, we have a special Korean Barbeque every year. It’s my favorite dinner! After dinner, we have orchestra in which Mr. Perlman, or “Mr. P” as we all call him, conducts us. We do orchestra for about 2 hours and by 10:00 P.M. it’s the “little’s” curfew time. When it comes to the weekends, we have many outreach opportunities such as going to perform at Vineyards and High schools and so many cool places.

But one of the most special things at PMP is the friendships that are formed. It’s so refreshing in a sense to be able to connect with other young people that are the same age as you. And it’s not awkward to have musical conversations or talk about what pieces you are working on. It’s so inspiring to be around them. I encourage you to go online to www.perlmanmusicprogram.org to read more about the program and the faculty and how to attend. PMP is such an amazing place. There will never be enough words to express my love for PMP.

Here at From the Top it’s wonderful to hear how young artists’ lives have been positively influenced by the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. We look forward to many exciting things from Bella in the future!

17 year-old violinist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Yurie Mitsuhashi (Show #205) explored the relationship between music and dance with second through sixth grade students at two elementary schools in her hometown of Fort Lee, NJ this spring.

Yurie performing on "From the Top" in Waco, TX

She shared a wide range of music, portraying dances from many different cultures and time periods, and allowed plenty of time for the students’ insightful questions and comments. Her goal was to share with the students how music can tell a story and how they can enjoy listening even more when they explore those stories and use their imagination. Yurie shares more about the event:

“There’s nothing more pleasing for children to see than a musician with a grin a mile wide. It shows them that they’re in for something fun and interesting rather than boring and bland.”

See below to watch video recordings from Yurie’s program.

We asked Yurie a few questions about her project:

FTT: What was the experience like for you?

Yurie: The whole project, from start to finish, was a fun one. I definitely felt good after every applause, and felt even better when children asked curious questions and asked for hugs after the concert.

FTT: What was it like working with children that age? Were there any favorite moments?

Yurie: I had two different kinds of audiences in the two elementary schools. In one of them, my audience ranged from grades 4-6. In the other, my audience ranged from grades 2-4.

I really appreciated my young, but very well behaved, audience, and was often very amused by the questions they asked in the end. Perhaps one of best questions was: “How did you start playing the violin?” When I answered that my mother was actually the one who made all the decisions and that I hated being forced to play the violin, they gasped in disbelief; I was very amused.

Another memorable experience came after I played a Brahms Hungarian Dance and explained the Czardas. A girl raised her hand and exclaimed that she went to Hungarian school and knew the Czardas dance. Then, this girl actually stood up and demonstrated the Czardas for the entire audience. I had personally never seen the Czardas before, so this was a very interesting moment for me.

FTT: What did you learn from this experience?

Yurie: I love to work with children. They ask the most interesting questions, and they are very honest (they tell you when they don’t like something, but also really cheer when they really love something).

FTT: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

Yurie: I discovered that it is perfectly okay to change your image while on stage depending on who you are performing for. In fact, doing so will make you connect with your audience better, and vice versa. This way, I feel that they can enjoy a performance better than when they see a distant figure on stage whom they’d never dream of talking to.

FTT: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Yurie: I would recommend keeping organized, opting for an interactive project, knowing your audience beforehand (so you can alter your project plans as needed to interact better), and putting a smile on your face. There’s nothing more pleasing for children to see than a musician with a grin a mile wide. It shows them that they’re in for something fun and interesting rather than boring and bland.

Yurie shared an excerpt from the script she wrote for the program:

“First up is the zapateado. The Zapateado is a dance of Mexican origin. As some of you might have noticed, the zapateado dance borrows its name from from “zapatos”: spanish for “shoes”. Why shoes? Because the dance itself is based upon percussive steps created by tapping your feet on the ground- it’s similar to tap dancing. You will hear this “shoe tapping” throughout the piece, but especially in the beginning, where I have [Demonstrate here]. Now, I hope you will imagine a dancer tapping his or her shoes while I play the Zapateado by Pablo Sarasate.”

Sean with the Students of Hilo Union Elementary

After appearing on From the Top, 16 year-old slack-key guitarist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Sean Robbins of Pahoa, HI organized a series of interactive performances at the Hilo Union Elementary School. He gave three 45-minute performances for fourth graders at the school, with about twenty students per group. Sean hoped to inspire these children to take a greater interest in music by demonstrating a variety of styles, and sharing the fun and valuable experiences he has had as a musician.

He shares more:

“I would like to communicate that there are younger people playing Hawaiian music and you can take it somewhere and make a career out of it.”

We asked Sean to tell us more about his project:

FTT: How did you come up with your project idea?

Sean: I chose this activity because I like to work with kids. I know that at this age they are easily inspired.

FTT: What was the experience like for you? Was there a favorite moment?

Sean: This was an extremely rewarding project and I am very glad that I did it. My goal was to inspire the kids to play music, and to show them that it is a viable career.

Afterwards one of the classes decided that they wanted to shake my hand, so I had to shake 20 hands that turned into 60 since they all wanted to go again and again. After the hand shaking, we said goodbye and went to the other two classes, who were just as excited.

FTT: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

Sean: The kids were very interested in what I had to say and they sat quietly for the whole 45 minutes until I asked if they had any questions. I was also very impressed with their questions.

FTT: What did you learn from this experience? Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician?

Sean: This experience definitely helped my development as a musician. You have to be able to think quickly to answer any questions that the kids may ask and improvise on what pieces you are going to play to accommodate the audience. I also learned a lot about organizing an arts leadership project, and I found out that I really enjoy interacting with kids.

FTT: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Sean: I’d recommend a project like this to anyone who enjoys being around kids and wants to perpetuate music at a young age. If I were to give them advice it would be to start organizing your project right away so that you aren’t rushed towards the end, and to practice speaking in front of an audience. Most of all to be ready for any questions the kids might ask.

I was quite surprised to see that almost half the kids in the class played some sort of instrument. When I told them I started playing music when I was two years older than them, they were very optimistic in terms of becoming musicians. I hope that the kids left with some inspiration to continue playing (or to start).

Several students wrote letters to Sean thanking him for his visit. Two of those letters are included below:

Bella with Fellow Performers at the El Dorado Retirement Center

We love when From the Top performers take Arts Leadership to the next level – 14 year-old violist Isabella Markham, a Jack Kent Cook Young Artist, has done just that by organizing a small concert series for a retirement center with the help of her brother and seven friends.  She titled the performance “Bella Palooza” and it took place on March 7, 2010 at the El Dorado; an independent retirement home located in Richardson, TX. The program included works for cello, violin, viola, and piano. Bella chose this project to provide seniors a fun break from their daily routine. Through the performance, Bella hoped to show that musicians her age still care for elderly people, and that music is a universal form of communication. A talented artist as well as a musician, Bella also created beautiful, hand-drawn flyers to promote the event.

Bella's Concert Program Art

Bella on "From the Top"

“I strongly believe that our culture tends to forget about the elderly and aging. A lot of these people are lonely and they don’t get enough love. Everyone needs someone to look forward to, and I think music makes a person’s heart happy.”

-Bella Markham

The El Dorado Dining Hall

We asked Bella a few questions about the performance and the overall experience:

Bella with pianist Evan Ritter

From the Top: How did you come up with your project idea?

Bella: I chose this activity because I wanted the old folks to have something exciting and new to look forward to in their daily schedule. It seems that they are forgotten sometimes, so I wanted to share the gift of music with them.

From the Top: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Bella: The experience was so inspiring and enriching! I would definitely love to do something like this again. Although it was a little bit stressful in having the complete responsibility to coordinate the entire event, it was all worth it in the end.

My favorite moment was after the performance. I went around to each table to talk to the old folks and asked them what they thought about the performance. Their faces beamed with joy and they even wanted me to come back and perform again! I loved seeing them so happy.

From the Top: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

Bella: I think the audience took away the joy and love for music. They truly enjoyed seeing us young performers perform for them. I would never be able to describe how happy they were, they were so overwhelmed with joy.

From the Top: What did you learn from this experience?

Bella: I learned that no matter who you are or what you do, music can connect and communicate to anyone! In my opinion, music truly is a wonder to the universe.

From the Top: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

Bella: Definitely, yes. This is an extremely humbling experience and reminds me all the time of how fortunate and blessed I am. I think this is why I gravitate towards this particular group of people. I know that my presence and sharing of music genuinely touches their hearts as well as mine. Also, I know that I’m making a difference.

From the Top: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Bella: Definitely choose a softer selection of pieces to perform. The old folks seem to enjoy the softer pieces a lot. Also, prepare to talk and introduce yourself to them, this seems to make the performance more intimate and enjoyable. It’s also good to go around and talk with them after the performance; they love to talk with you about what a joy it was to have you perform.

Earlier this year, 13-year-old John Ringor (Show #202 and #206 ) and 17-year-old Joshua Jones (TV Episode 201, Show #171 and  #206), both Chicago percussionists and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipients, gave a performance and demonstration for children and their families at the Chicago Symphony Center. They were joined by eight of their colleagues from the Percussion Scholarship Group (PSG), a program affiliated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (an ensemble of which appeared on From the Top’s Show #206), that provides free lessons and percussion instruments to students from the Chicago area – an inspiring example of arts leadership itself!

John, Josh, and members of the Percussion Scholarship Group at the Chicago Symphony Center

Their concert was part of the CSO’s Caminos a la Musica: a program that provides lower-income families the opportunity to see and experience classical music in a professional setting.

(We) chose to perform for kids because they are the people of the future; they will be the ones to shape the future of music. These people need to realize just how important music is so that they can help promote and support it.” – John

“(We) wanted to spread knowledge about percussion and the PSG, and also I wanted to incorporate members of the group in this performance. Kind of like a family affair.” -Josh

We asked John and Josh to share more about their project:

John, Josh, and the PSG performing at the Chicago Symphony Center

FTT: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Josh: I had fun performing for the children, and their reaction was priceless. As loud as we were, I was expecting them to cover their ears, but the adults were the only ones with their ears covered.

John: Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole performance was seeing how happy all the kids were. The looks on their faces when we started things off with a bang and when I was doing all sorts of stick tricks in a solo were so gratifying. They looked like they really enjoyed our performance and had fun and a genuine interest in our music. That feeling of appreciation I got from them was the best part of this whole experience.

FTT: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

John: I think that they developed a new interest and appreciation for percussion and music that is not normally heard on the radio or is mainstream. They really seemed interested in the instruments and music we played so I think that one day they too will want to play an instrument.

Josh: Probably the point that was received by the audience was that percussion is a fun instrument to play, and it takes hard work to achieve a high level on any instrument that they may decide to take up, or anything they decide to do in life.

FTT: What did you learn from the experience?

Josh: I experienced how the sound was much bigger in a smaller room, so we had to play softer in order to not over power and frighten the children. It was kind of funny actually.

John: I learned that organizing such an event is no easy task. At times it was difficult getting everyone together and having rehearsals, but we eventually worked things out. Mostly I learned to just have fun. When I have fun then everyone else senses that and tries to have fun as well. By enjoying myself and keeping a positive attitude the performance was wonderful and the kids had a great time.

FTT: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

John: It’s taught me the value of planning, organization, teamwork, and showmanship. I learned that just like in an orchestra or in an ensemble, teamwork and communication was essential both for playing musically together as well as running the show.

Josh: Instead of regurgitating music that we memorize, connecting with the audience can ease some of the nerves we may have as musicians when we perform and it tells us even more what the audience wants out of a concert.

FTT: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Josh: Don’t be afraid to try new things as you go. Always have a set goal, but if there is room for improvisation, take full advantage of it.

John: Just have fun with it. If the audience sees you having fun then they will too and that’s the secret to success.

Pianist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Clifton Williams has had an extraordinary year. After performing on From the Top in March 2009, he was profiled in the Washington Post and attended summer programs at Indiana University, Berklee College of Music, and Princeton University.

Clifton with the Ambassador's family.

This winter, Clifton experienced another set of amazing opportunities. He was invited to play at a house party in Washington, D.C., where he met Donna Eacho, the wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Austria (William Eacho), who invited him to join her family in Vienna and Paris during his spring break.

In Vienna, Clifton slept and dined at the Ambassador’s residence and attended concerts at the opera and the Vienna Philharmonic with the Ambassador’s family. He gave four recitals in Vienna, two of them at the America House. At the first concert he performed a Rachmaninoff Etude, Prokofiev’s Diabolique Suggestion, and two jazz pieces, and afterwards he spoke with the 100 high school students in the audience. His second performance at the America House was for a general audience. He also performed at the Ambassador’s residence and at a local church.

Watch an interview with Clifton and performance clips here.

He also visited Paris, where he performed at UNESCO and met David Killion, the U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO.

Clifton will attend Berklee College of Music on a Presidential Scholarship in the fall. We are so proud to see Clifton’s success and look forward to having him just down the street from our offices.