“When I was really little, my parents used to drive me around on trips and they’d just play classical music in the background. And I grew up listening to a lot of YouTube videos of famous cellists, like Yo-Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, and Two Cellos, which put a modern spin on music. So I was always really interested in it. And I’ve now been playing for 11 years, and I definitely want to continue it in the future,” said Jeffery Tong, a YoungArts award winner for classical music.
Jeffery Tong, a sophomore at Naperville North High School was recently announced as the winner of a YoungArts award in the classical music category for his talent on the cello.
YoungArts and the opportunity it gives to young artists
YoungArts is a national competition for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. There are ten different categories, each involving artistic abilities. A number of past winners are now notable names in their field, including actors Viola Davis and Timothee Chalamet, poet Amanda Gorman, and interior designer Jonathan Adler.
Each student who chooses to enter must submit examples of their work to have a chance at an award.
“I had to record four pieces. The first was “A Movement of a Suite” by J.S. Bach, “Movement of a Sonata” by Beethoven, “Saint-Saens Cello Concerto” and “The Lamentations,” which is a modern piece,” said Tong.
The Naperville North cellist was one of the 700 winners that won an award
Over 9,000 artists from across the country entered this year’s edition of the YoungArts competition, with only 700 of those being picked for an award.
“My initial reaction was mainly just like, I was just pleasantly surprised, you know, because I didn’t really expect much from this because there’s so many talented musicians across the nation. And I was genuinely excited and really looking forward to having this experience,” said Tong.
A big stepping stone in Tong’s musical career
All of the winners received between $250 and $10,000, a medallion, and access to YoungArts Post, an online platform where artists can connect and share their work. For Tong, this is a pivotal moment in his musical career.
“I feel like this opportunity is definitely going to bring me someplace to meet like other people, other musicians. And I feel like it’s definitely something that I encourage other people to do. And the initial feeling of like surprise and excitement and just being overcome with joy, with the pride of having practiced for so long and for so many hours is definitely something that you can’t replicate,” said Tong.
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