For 18-year-old Naperville resident Alex Amato, playing music isn’t just a hobby; it’s a passion. Ever since he saw Jerry Lee Lewis in The Million Dollar Quartet, he became hooked on the piano.
“His fingers would just fly across the keyboard, and I was like, man, I want to do that,” he said.
The Naperville North High School senior began tickling the ivories around age five and is now using his love for music to bring his peers and community together through a recently launched concert series.
It kicked off in December with his first show, “Amid the Winter’s Snow.” Following the success of that, Amato returned last Sunday with his second concert, “Amid the Harbor Lights” at Naperville Covenant Church.
Amid the Harbor Lights showcases youth talents
The teen directed and organized the show, which featured an ensemble of 10 student musicians from Chicagoland schools, as close as Naperville Central and Naperville North high schools, and as far as Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.
“I noticed that there was a little void, almost, of truly student-led, student-driven, and professional opportunities beyond the schools,” Amato said, “I felt that I wanted to fill this void by creating a concert that draws together students from all over the state, all different schools, all different age levels, of varying abilities, and fill that void, proving that student-led does not equal amateur.”
Students gathered for their only rehearsal last Saturday, running the show from start to finish on the church stage and ensuring equipment was operating smoothly.
The very next day, they entertained a crowd of more than 50 people, performing a variety of “yacht-rock” hits from the 70s and 80s.
Concert unites community members
“I had never really done anything like this before, and I kind of wanted to try something new, and I thought it would be a good experience, and I loved it,” said Luke Akers, an eighth grader at Fischer Middle School in Aurora who played the tambourine and the hand drum at the concert.
Amato said the concerts highlight the skills among youth and unite community members for an evening of good music.
“Music has such a unique impact on everybody’s lives in some way, shape, or form, and my goal is to bring beautiful music to the community,” he said.
Amy and Ron Amato, his parents, expressed their pride in their son’s ability to bring the concert to life.
“We’re just very, very, very proud of him. Not only is he talented, but, you know, he’s organized and focused, so it’s been fun to watch it come together,” said Ron.
“I mean, it’s really been amazing to see him at all the different levels of planning, and then when it finally comes together, and also to see other people’s reactions, I mean, it really, truly is amazing,” said Amy.
Amato looks to grow concert series
With high school almost in the rear-view mirror for Amato, the teen is preparing to attend North Central College, where he will major in music education.
Staying in the Naperville area means he can keep the concert series alive, and that’s exactly what he plans to do.
“I certainly have a theme in mind for next year…Trust me, planning has already begun, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever,” said Amato.
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