Possessing a rare trifecta of passion, talent and admirable drive, sophomores Minji Choi and Victoria Park were among the 40 Orange County students recognized for their exceptional creativity by the National YoungArts program.
Minji Choi (10): Violin Prodigy
Whether she’s performing solo or with her musical peers, Choi’s extraordinary talent on the violin is a blessing to the ears. After spending six months preparing her pieces, Choi was selected as a YoungArts award winner in the Classical Music category for her performance of J.S. Bach’s “Sonata no. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003: I. Grave,” Jean Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47: I. Allegro moderato” and Wang Jie’s “Serenade in Isolation.”
“I’ve been playing for a little more than eight years now, and the fact that you don’t need to know a person completely just to communicate through music is really satisfying to me,” Choi said. “That’s why I still continue playing music.”
Choi is currently the third chair of Northwood’s Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of several music-oriented volunteer programs, including Smile Train OC, Back To BACH Project and Do Re Mi Project. But her accomplishments didn’t come without obstacles.
“Sometimes, even as I’m practicing and performing, there will be times when I feel like I’m just stuck in the same place,” Choi said. “I always have to remember that it’s just a process of learning because when I eventually achieve my goals, it relieves all of the stress I may have gotten.”
Her persistence, along with endless support from her family and violin teacher, have helped her access numerous once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, such as performing in Carnegie Hall’s prestigious NYO2 and participating in the Chamber Music OC Pre-College Program, which have allowed her to build meaningful relationships within the music community.
“The friends I’ve met through music programs are really inspiring,” Choi said. “My biggest goal is to help others pursue their passions, and for me, I hope to do it through music.”
Victoria Park (10): Writer at Heart
To describe Park’s writing as a heartfelt symphony of syllables would be an understatement. Park was selected as a YoungArts award winner in the Writing category for “Gangnam Beauty,” a touching personal memoir that grapples with cultural beauty standards and expectations.
“I typically prefer math and science over the humanities, but this year, I really wanted to write about my stories,” Park said. “So I decided to participate in a writing competition for the first time.”
Although crafting and sharing her narrative was ultimately fulfilling, Park faced several challenges throughout the application process.
“Since I was reflecting on my personal growth, I had to discuss a lot with my family about myself and our experiences,” Park said. “The hardest part was figuring out how to use language to share the message I wanted them to take away from my story.”
After investing two months of hard work and care into her piece, Park’s determination proved commendable, solidifying her passion for the literary arts beyond the classroom.
“In the future, I want to help inspire people to express their feelings and their experiences through writing so they can grow,” Park said.
