Anna Lee, 14, will be performing in New York in July. Photo / George Novak
Anna Lee, 14, will be performing in New York in July. Photo / George Novak
Talented young violinist Anna Lee will be heading to the bright lights of New York to perform at Carnegie Hall in July.
The 14-year-old Bethlehem College student won a first place award in the American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition 2015 after sending in an audition tape to the judges.
Her placing earned her an invitation to perform at the Winners Concert on July 3.
The competition was open to different age groups from around the world.
She was one of 17 students from the United States, Italy, Thailand and Canada in the 11 to 14 age group that earned first places.
Anna entered the competition at the end of last year and said it was "a real surprise" when she found out she had won. "It was a shock to get this. It was so exciting, I was kind of speechless when I first found out."
She will be playing Czardas at the hall, a composition by Italian composer Vittorio Monti.
"I followed my brother to his cello lessons every week. His teacher's father was teaching upstairs one day, apparently I started crying and said I wanted to learn an instrument as well, so they took me upstairs."
Music helps Anna express herself. "I'm usually shy in front of people when I first meet them, but when I have my violin, I can be whatever I want to be and express myself easily."
Anna said she had no plans to give up music and hoped she could one day become a solo violinist.
"I definitely want to do this for the rest of my life."
Her family will all be going to the United States together to watch her perform and will be taking the opportunity to have a holiday at the same time.
American Protege *The programme seeks to encourage more young musicians to perform and grow. *The American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition 2015 was open to school students and adults of all nationalities and countries. *Participants from across the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Srbija, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, China, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and South African Republic applied for the competition this year. *All instruments, including piano, strings, voice and winds were welcome to participate.
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