Ocean City Senior Accepted To Prestigious Juilliard School

OCEAN CITY, NJ — An Ocean City High School senior has been accepted into one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the world. Erik Larson has been accepted into The Juilliard School, the Ocean City Public School District announced.

The Juilliard School, founded in 1905 and based in New York City, aims to provide the highest caliber of artistic education to gifted musicians, actors and dancers from around the world, according to the school’s website. Larson will continue his trumpet career along with learning basic piano at The Juilliard School, according to the Ocean City School District.

He started his long and rigorous process just like any of the other 200 undergraduate and graduate applicants. He sent in a pre-screening video. Only half of those applicants were chosen to travel to New York City for a live audition where only three undergraduate trumpet players were accepted. Larson was one of them.

“To dedicate yourself to music you have to be willing to sacrifice more than you would expect. I have given up my weekends, all of my evenings, my summers, and all of my social life at school, but every moment has been worth it,” Larson said. “Through all of the sacrifice I have made life-long friends from all over the world and I know that all of this is leading towards my goal of making a living doing what I love.”

His journey wasn't an easy one. Two years ago, he suffered a lip injury that took his ability to play away. However, he has been preparing for this moment since he was 11 years old. Soon after learning how to play, he started traveling for his talent. He joined the Rowan Youth Orchestra and later attended the Rutgers pre-college program.

So he wasn’t going to let a lip injury hold him back. After a lot of patience and perseverance he went back to the trumpet better than ever.

“Looking back on Erik’s setbacks it seemed like a major mountain to climb, however, looking ahead the world is now just a giant open canvas waiting for him,” Ocean City High School Instrumental Music Director, Donna Schwartz said. “I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him and I can’t wait to see where his career will take him.”

Currently he travels to Philadelphia three times a week to take private lessons, play principle trumpet in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and to play in the brass ensemble, Bravo Brass. For the past two summers he has attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artist Orchestra. To be able to attend a third time this summer, he had to turn down a position in the National Youth Orchestra.

“Erik has worked tirelessly to hone his craft as a musician and he is proof that hard work pays off,” Ocean City Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Taylor said. “As he starts his journey in Juilliard, I am confident that Erik will thrive as he expands his musical knowledge. Erik is an outstanding representative of the Ocean City School District. I’m so very proud of him.”

The attached image of Erik Larson was provided by the Ocean City Public School District