Al Navoroli Youth Musician recipient shares her thoughts on South Valley Symphony experience

This letter was submitted to Morgan HIll Life by Katelyn Deng

To the South Valley Community:

From left: Mrs. Kai Chi Zhu (Katelyn’s music teacher), the conductor Anthony Quartuccio, Katelyn Deng (age 14) and her sister, Sophie Deng (age 11). Photo courtesy Katelyn Deng.

As one of the two First Prize winners of the Al Navaroli Competition, it was my pleasure to perform the Liszt Concerto No. 2 with the South Valley Symphony last Saturday.

This was my first time playing the Liszt Concerto with an orchestra, and the rich sound, finesse, and technical capabilities of each musician blew me away completely. I was astounded by everyone’s talent and ability; we only had three chances to rehearse this incredibly difficult and new piece, but each South Valley Symphony musician

adapted so well and so elegantly. I’m also incredibly grateful to everyone for being so friendly and warm. I was quite nervous before our first rehearsal together, but each of you quickly made me feel comfortable and at home.

Thank you, Tony, for being the most wonderful conductor throughout this entire process. Even as we first started the Liszt, I could immediately tell that Tony was the one who held everybody together. He always found the best and quickest ways for the piano and the orchestra parts to merge as one. I often found myself amazed at his experience and expertise. I learned so much from Tony, both in performing with an orchestra and in performing solo. For instance, as a solo pianist, we like to focus on the top melody in the right hand. Tony taught me to listen to my left-hand bass line as well, thus ensuring the perfect balance and synchronization with the orchestra. Above all, I want to thank Tony for always encouraging me to share my ideas and thoughts during our rehearsals. Even though I didn’t have any experience, he treated me as his equal and as a fellow adult. It was such an honor to work with him and the SVS on this concerto.

Another of the best moments of Saturday was seeing my dear teacher, Mrs. Kai Chi Zhu, among the audience. I’ve been studying with Kai Chi for 8 years, and she has been both my teacher and my mentor. She has never wavered in her dedication and support and has always believed in me. I was so happy to have her come to my performance.

Next, I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who came to watch! A lot of my friends drove quite a long distance to Gilroy, and I really appreciate all your support (and your beautiful flowers). The audience I had on Saturday was the best audience I could ever ask for. Even onstage, I could feel the energy and passion from everybody in the crowd. Thank you all for coming to this performance. I hope you enjoyed Saturday’s program.

One more thank you to Messrs. Rob Howe, Marty Cheek, Calvin Nuttall, and Ms. Gege Bencich for all your help and time these past months. I asked a lot of questions, but I couldn’t have done this without your support.

Additionally, a fellow friend of mine, Aidan Kwon, was also a first-place winner at the Navaroli Competition. He’ll be performing “Rhapsody in Blue” with the South Valley Symphony in the Mother’s Day Concert on May 12th.

It’s a fabulous piece played by an extremely talented pianist, so I encourage everyone to come and have a good time!

And last but not least, for all the young musicians out there, come to the Al Navaroli Competition! It’s a tremendously fun experience, and you will love every single moment. I know I did.

All the best,

Katelyn Deng