Haruno’s First Blog Post

Hi everyone!

My name is Haruno Sato, and I am so excited to be working from behind the scenes at From the Top as the Klarman fellow this summer! For the past year, I have been working here as the resident “listener,” or more formally called the Primary Screener (I will elaborate on that a little later), but I’m really excited to spend my summer working behind the scenes with the nicest people for this great organization that we all love so much.

First, a little bit about me:

I am a rising senior at the New England Conservatory where I am learning to play the violin alongside all the all-star musicians that are crawling in every corner of the school. Previous to my move to the beautiful city that is often called Beantown (for reasons I still don’t really understand), I went to high school in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

Yes, I am a Cavs fan. Don’t mess with the King or Kyrie please.

While studying violin at the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, I began developing a thirst for the Cavs to win the NBA championship title that was only JUST quenched three weeks ago, ending a solid 52-year dry spell.

Speaking of the Cleveland Institute of Music, it was during my time there that I first appeared on From the Top on Show 241! It was in 2011 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C, and I was performing with The Cleveland Institute of Music Piano Trio.

Haruno on Show 241

I remember that event so clearly. I was THAT girl who forgot her dress at the hotel on the day of the show and had to make someone drive her from the venue to the hotel and back in crazy traffic (my apologies to the driver).

But mainly I remember this show so vividly because I was indescribably excited for the taping, and also because I had the best time with the crew and the other musicians – and I got to experience it all again in 2013 at Aspen!

So, what does a Primary Screener do anyway?

Here is, essentially, my job description in four words: Listen to Every Application.

Basically, every week I get to hear some of the greatest up-and-coming superstars of the classical music world who have applied to be on From the Top’s radio show. This ranges from kids ages 8 to 18 and I have to say, it is so fun to listen to every one of these kids and to hear their stories. The only part that is a little sad is that I have to say “Maybe next time!” to some applicants. The good news is that we always encourage those kids to keep sending us new material, and to me, seeing their growth and improvement is even more fun.

This summer we will be merging my job as Primary Screener with the Klarman Fellowship, meaning I will get to travel with other Toppers to go hear potential musicians at live auditions! So, next time I will be posting from Interlochen, Michigan, where their Summer Arts Camp is in session. I am so excited to go because Interlochen was my very first music camp and I haven’t been back since I was in fourth grade…

Thank you for reading! I hope that you will keep reading as I explore different areas of From the Top through writing, social media stuff, producing some events etc., and I hope you will follow me to the places I go this summer for auditions!

Stay cool!

~Haruno

P.S Almost forgot to mention my childhood home. I was born in Japan, moved to Detroit, Michigan at age 2. For a total of 16 years, bad sports cities were my home.