Maria Ataya | The Chronicle
For years, the violin was another obligation on Mason High School (MHS) senior Angela Tang’s schedule — a duty that she felt she needed to fulfill. Years of practice, competitions and expectations made music seem more like a responsibility than a hobby. But somewhere along the way, Tang learned to find joy in the process itself.
Throughout Tang’s high school career, she has achieved prestigious recognition, from winning the Cincinnati Overture awards as a sophomore to being selected as concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra (CSYO) for the past two years. Being chosen as concertmaster means you are the lead violinist in an orchestra and the most important player. Tang said she was able to become more open to others’ ideas, stepping into the role of a true leader.
“I’ve realized everyone has their own interpretations and their own views upon a piece,” Tang said. “Being concertmaster really changed the way I view music. I’ve become a lot more open to other people’s ideas and [learned to accept] playing something not exactly the way that I may have played it myself.”
Along with being able to understand the interpretations herself, Tang must make sure everyone else in the orchestra is on the same page. She said beneath the surface, performing as a group takes a lot more coordination than one might see.
“When leading, it’s really important that your whole section knows what interpretations you’re using or how you’re supposed to play something,” Tang said. “In terms of balancing leading and blending with the ensemble, communication is key.”
Through her role as concertmaster, Tang said she has learned to look beyond her own part and consider how each person contributes to the larger ensemble. That understanding took on a new meaning when she performed alongside professional musicians from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
“The professionals are so passionate, and it’s a rare experience for me to be part of such a big group of people who are really passionate in what they’re doing,” Tang said. “I feel like being a soloist with them made me more passionate in my playing as well, which was really inspiring because that’s not something you come across really often.”
Beyond encouraging her to become more passionate in her own playing, Tang said the experience deepened her appreciation for the connections music can create between people from different backgrounds and experiences. She said it reminded her of that sense of purpose and inspired her to pursue her love of playing violin.
“One moment that made me realize that [violin] is what I want to keep doing was a feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself,” Tang said. “It’s a really powerful thing when people are connected under one shared passion when they’re all very different people [with] very different journeys in that passion, and it made me realize that people can be connected by more than what they seem on the surface.”
While Tang was learning to find meaning in music beyond competition, she was also achieving success on some of Cincinnati’s biggest stages. As a sophomore, she won the Cincinnati Overture Awards, an accomplishment that brought her recognition, but she said it also challenged her to reconsider the demands she placed on herself.
“After the Overture Awards, I changed my expectations for my own self-practice,” Tang said. “I set standards for myself not only [to stop] overworking myself, but also not needing to be perfect in every single performance, which is something that’s really helped me go forward in being more relaxed [and] more confident, and therefore actually playing better on the stage as well.”
Tang said that learning to recognize when she needed a break became an important part of balancing violin with her academic responsibilities and other extracurricular activities. Sometimes, despite her efforts to maintain a balanced schedule, Tang’s many commitments require difficult decisions. Tang said she has had to sacrifice some of her other extracurricular activities for violin, which is a challenge that extends beyond solely her musical ability.
“I’m also a captain for Science Olympiad, which is a club that means so much to me,” Tang said. “It’s one of the most meaningful communities I’m part of. One competition, [at] the University of Michigan, I gave up for the Overture Awards, so having to balance many different extracurriculars that I’m part of and care about is something that a lot of people don’t see.”
Tang’s MHS orchestra teacher, Stephanie Jones, has taught Tang for her four years of high school. Jones said that there is not a specific accomplishment that has stood out, but instead what stands out is her ability to have accomplished all of them.
“One of those accomplishments would be amazing for anybody, but the fact that she’s had so many of those is really what stands out about Angela,” Jones said. “When you win a concerto competition, it’s based on your solo, and when you’re getting a concertmaster position, it’s a leadership position, but all of those combined just show her amazing talent and abilities.”
Jones said that Tang’s various accomplishments show her depth of musicianship, from her solo performances that show her exceptional technical ability to her leadership skills that lead other orchestra members to look to her for guidance. Although many musicians may have these skills as well, Jones said there is one thing that sets Tang apart from the rest.
“Obviously, [she] still [has] that high level of technique and musicianship, and her ability to lead,” Jones said. “But she’s also very kind and humble, and I think those combinations make people want to follow her, and really sets her apart.”
Tang said she has carried a certain mindset over these many years in approaching her practice. Through the pressure and encouragement from others, Tang said that her progress ultimately depends on her own motivation and willingness to work.
“Ultimately, how much you enjoy [playing] or how good of a musician you are comes down to how much you want it for yourself,” Tang said. “That’s the biggest takeaway that I’ve had from violin. It can’t be anyone else pushing me in the correct direction, and I’ve applied that to many different [aspects of my life].”
Through violin, Tang said she has found more than musical opportunities; she has found a community of people who share her interests and have become lifelong friends. She said her opportunities, like CSYO and National Youth Orchestra, have opened up doors for her to meet people who are passionate about the same thing.
“[Music] is a universal connector of people and [allows] being part of a community that’s much larger than myself without needing to say anything,” Tang said. “Even people who don’t play music or know anything about music can feel something from what you’re playing.”
Although Tang’s musical career has been marked by prestigious awards and leadership opportunities, she said her greatest accomplishment goes beyond that. Besides the recognition and years of disciplined practice, she said she has learned to appreciate music for the experience itself rather than the expectations that come with it.
“I’m most proud of being able to enjoy music for what it is, without having the competitive atmosphere around it,” Tang said. ”[I’ve gotten] over all the pressure that I once had about performing and reaching the level of technical perfection; now it’s more of a hobby for me, and I think that’s one of the proudest things that I’ve accomplished.”
