Piano Students Serenade Forest Hills

Like Mozart in his childhood performances, nearly half a dozen local musicians thrilled residents with their voluminous musical talents.

auditorium was the scene of a special classical performance on Saturday, starring a small group of young piano players. For the hour-long performance, the five musicians serenaded the audience with a mix of original and classical compositions.

Headlining the concert was Michael Mohsen, a 17-year-old violin and piano player. Playing songs from Mozart to Beethoven to Chopin, the teen didn't seem to miss a note as he skillfully wove a virtuoso performance for the packed house.

"For a performance in public, it was one of my better ones," Mohsen said after the concert.

 Music seems to be in the blood in the Mohsen family — not only was Michael performing, but siblings Melanie and Moses were as well.

"My little sister Melanie started playing piano before me, and when she would play, I would always love the sound of the piano, so that's what made me want to play," Michael said with regard to his younger sister.

In addition to the Mohsens, there were two other performers, Noa Sailor and Jonathan Wright, who took the place of previously announced performers who could not attend.

Sailor impressively played two pieces, one of which she had only been practicing for the last two weeks. Wright opened up the concert with his own original composition, showcasing his songwriting abilities alongside his piano skills.

The concert was directed by Olivia Lu, who is also the teacher of the students who performed. She believes music to be beneficial for both the player and the listener.

"Not only is it good for there to be an open place for young musicians to share their music, and provide a service to the community, but music is just a wonderful thing in life," Lu said. "Music is a discipline. The students are willing to spend a lot of time and effort into learning their songs and performing. It's not easy for them to stand up and share in front of a crowd."

The auditorium was packed to the brim, latecomers had to stand along the sides of the room. The reception was overwhelmingly positive, with every performer collecting plaudits as they left the stage.

"It's a wonder to offer [a performance] with inter-generational talent," one resident said of the musicians.

The performance was a part of the library's Classical concert series, which runs on selected Saturdays throughout the year.