NPR’s LIVE recording of "From the Top" at the Center for the Arts Features Four Young Local Musicians

Young talented musicians from our region will be front and center at the LIVE recording of NPR’S From the Top on Saturday, February 29 at 8:00 p.m. From the Top is a nationally distributed NPR Program and podcast that celebrates the voices and talents of America’s brightest young classical musicians. The live recording at Mason features guest hosts Greg Anderson (a From the Top alum himself) and Elizabeth Joy Roe of the acclaimed piano duo Anderson & Roe, who will interview and perform with each of the exceptional young artists, ages 10 to 18, showcasing not just their inspiring talent, but also giving insight into the lives of these young, aspirational artists.

Featured performers from our Fairfax County community include the Supernova Piano Duo with Jialin Tso, 18, from Chantilly and Alexander Suh, 16, from Fairfax. Both Jialin and Alexander attend Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and share a passion not only for piano but also computer science.

The duo is thrilled to perform with Anderson & Roe, whom Jialin calls “one of my biggest musical inspirations.” She says that “Alex and I were inspired to learn ‘Libertango,’ one of the duet pieces that we performed last year, after watching Anderson & Roe’s amazing music video of the same piece. The opportunity to perform alongside such an awesome piano duo is truly an honor that we will treasure, so both of us have been practicing very hard for our parts of the piece. Alex and I look forward to meeting Anderson & Roe in person and learning from them how to become better chamber musicians!”

Other talent from the greater region to be featured in the live recording event include pianist Ella Kim, 12, from Herndon, Kiesse Nanor, 15, from Ellicott City, Maryland, and violinist Lira Masuda, 10, from Glen Allen.

Additional performers include From the Top’s Jack Kent Young Artist Award winners: violinist Phillip Hammond, 17, from Bloomington, Indiana; violist Natalie Brennecke, 18, from Oberlin, Ohio; and bassoonist Xavion Patterson, 16, from Smyrna, Tennessee. Also included in the live recording is Sam Higgins, 17, countertenor, from Milton, Massachusetts; Levi Powe, 19, cello, from Tuscon, Arizona; and From the Top alumna Olivia Cosio, soprano, from San Francisco.

NPR’s From the Top is heard Sundays on WETA 90.9 FM at 6 p.m. as well as on more than 200 other stations nationwide. From the Top will record two broadcasts during this live event, which will air on participating stations and by podcast during the weeks of April 20 and May 11, 2020.

Enjoy this performances as a family with the Great Performances at Mason half-price tickets for youth through grade 12. 

NPR’S From the Top:
Saturday, February 29 at 8:00 p.m. at the Center for the Arts