Julia Son, freshman, appears to be an average student to most. She was a cheerleader in the fall, considered trying out for lacrosse in the spring and works hard in school. However, her musical talent is far from average. In fact, Son recently brought home first prize from the Discover National Chamber Music Competition in Chicago with her violin quartet, performing pieces by Brahms and Shostakovich.

Son began playing violin 12 years ago because her parents were interested in having her take lessons, Son said. She became a part of her quartet through a preparatory program at Webster University’s Community School of Music called “Prep.”

Son said she found out about the program through her teacher.

“It benefits a lot,” Son said. “You can earn money.”

In fact, Son’s quartet won a cash prize of $1,000 in addition to their first place title at the Chicago competition.

To prepare for the competition, Son met with her quartet twice a week and practiced for an hour and a half, receiving coaching from St. Louis Symphony Orchestra professionals in the process.

Son said through the program, she receives guidance from different coaches, a director and a private teacher.

Son said her quartet may be performing in a national competition over the summer.

These are not the first of Son’s musical accomplishments. Son said she has accompanied for a local singer and played in music halls such as Sheldon Hall, which has also allowed her to earn money.

Son said she is unsure of whether she would like to go into music as a career, but it will undoubtedly help her for college.

“It’s not much of an enjoyment for me,” Son said. “I feel like I should keep doing it because I’ve been playing for 12 years and it can help me with college.”

At times, Son said, she does feel pressured by her parents to continue playing music.

“To be honest, music is pretty hard,” Son said. “Even if I wanted to do sports, I have to focus on music. It’s like my second thing after academics. I really have to manage my time.”

Time management has become an important issue for Son, who said she was unable to try out for lacrosse because of other priorities.

Son said it used to be that her biggest influences on her music were her parents, especially her mother, and her teachers, but recently she has grown more independent.

“It all depends on me,” Son said. “If I want to play well, I’ll do it.”

Son said that she sometimes sees her music as an obligation when she is performing for a competition or something else with a deadline, where she is forced to play.

“If you play for a long time, you’re not always going to think it’s fun,” Son said. “When you’ve been playing for as long as I have, it’s a love/hate relationship.”

James Nacy, orchestra director, teaches Son in Symphonic Orchestra and said she is extremely talented but does not define herself by her music.

“Julia is an amazing violinist, and she has invested a lot of time in practicing and perfecting her music,” Nacy said. “At the same time, in the eyes of everyone else, she’s just a normal kid.”

Nacy said his students frequently are involved in outside competitions and performing groups, especially his Symphonic Orchestra students. What his students learn from their outside involvement helps MHS orchestras as a whole, he said.

“Every time they play their instrument it improves our group,” Nacy said.

Next on Son’s agenda is being taped for broadcast with her quartet for a radio program on Wednesday, April 25, called “From the Top.”

“It’s a big radio program,” Son said. “They can give you $7,500 in scholarships and financial aid.”
The show is produced by WBGH Boston and presents very advanced high school musicians, Vera Parkin, artistic director of the Preparatory Program, said.

Additionally, the quartet recently discovered they qualified to participate in the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition in Indiana.

The Fischoff Competition is the largest chamber music competition in the world, Parkin said, and one of the few that has a division for high school students.

“It’s pretty hard to get in,” Son said.

Parkin said that Prep has welcomed Julia as a new students this year.

“We all enjoy her very much,” Parkin said. “On the way to the competition in Chicago, every few miles she would stop chattering and say ‘I’m scared!’ We would reassure her and remind her that she is part of a group, so they’d all be up there playing together.”

Parkin said the entire program shared in her quartet’s joy and surprise at winning first prize at the Chicago competition. The quartet was subsequently invited back to play in a winner’s recital at the Chicago Cultural Institute, Parkin said.

“Our students are fantastic people, and she is one of them,” Parkin said.