Fairfax Station Teen to Perform on NPR's 'From the Top'

A Fairfax Station teen violinist will make an appearance on NPR’s “From the Top,” a national program which showcases top young classical musicians.

“I was very excited to find out I was chosen,” said Brian Hong, 17.

Hong, a Robinson Secondary School junior, sent in his application in November out that he was chosen for the program this January. The program was filmed in College Park, Maryland last month.

Hong played a piece from the 1600s and was accompanied by show host and acclaimed pianist Christopher O’Riley.

“I was playing the violin, but it was set up in the way it would be played in the 1600s so it’s different tuning,” Hong said. “Christopher O’Riley accompanied me on the harpsichord. It is a completely kind of sound.”

Hong, who already practices four hours each day, said there was a lot of rehearsal leading up to the big performance. Once on stage, however, he slipped right into the music.

“The actual performance felt very natural,” Hong said. “It was great to go on and perform.”

Hong began playing when he was 4 years old. He is the concertmaster of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and participated in the 2010 Summit Music Festival, the 2010 Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute, and the 2009 Music Academy of the West.

His parents said that his commitment to the violin has been largely self motivated.

“I believe music saved him,” said Hong’s mother, Eun-Mee Hong. “It was one way for him to express himself and have freedom without that he would not be where he is now.”

In addition to practicing the violin, Hong also manages a full course load of advanced placement and International Baccalaureate classes. He hasn’t decided yet whether he will join a conservatory when he graduates or whether he will attend a university. Either way, he said he knows he will continue to play.

“I love music all the way from the 1600 to the 1900s,” Hong said. “I just love to play.”

Hong’s show is set to air on WETA 90.9 FM on Sunday, June 5, at 6 p.m. For more information about the program, visit their website.