Chosen from the best high school musicians in the United States and Canada, Rebekah Jin will participate in the American High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, on Feb. 12, in New York City.
Senior Jin will represent Downey in the east coast on a night filled with music and pride. Her passion is concentrated on the clarinet, but her music experience began at a young age. She learned to play the piano from her mother, and she eventually began playing the clarinet in middle school. She felt that it would be fun to learn a new instrument and has continued to play the clarinet through high school.
“I think it’s a wonderful instrument with a beautiful sound and expressive range,” Jin said.
In order to participate, Jin had to follow an audition process. She submitted a five-minute recording of “Solo de Concours” by Andre Messager, a letter of recommendation from her clarinet instructor, and a resume of her past musical achievements as parts of her online application in June. She received the acceptance news in October.
Downey band members remember Jin by her dedication to music.
“She always strived to be the best she could be, putting in the hours of practice necessary to learn her music and play with great tone,” senior Rosalinda Rodriguez said. “It is a great honor for any musician to play at Carnegie Hall and her youth makes it an even greater honor. I am positive Rebekah will do amazing and go on to be an even better musician.”
Past band members and classmates also recall Jin’s talent and commitment to playing the clarinet.
“Rebekah always had this natural ability to outshine the rest of the performers,” senior Marco Antonio Rivera said. “I always felt that Rebekah was destined for great musical heights, quite evident by her amazing endeavors as well as the beautiful pure tone of her notes.”
The Honors Performance Series brings together talented high school students to an event with
both an Honors Choir and Honors Instrumental Ensembles. Jin will be a part of the clarinet section in the Honors Band. Highly regarded conductors such as Charles Peltz, Jeffrey Grogan, and Jeffery Ames will also be a part of the performance.
The program will be held Feb. 9 through Feb. 13 and the concert at Carnegie Hall will be held on Sunday, Feb. 12. Jin will be playing “First Suite in Eb” by Gustav Holst and “Folk Dances” by Dmitri Shostakovich with the Honors Band. She played “First Suite in Eb” in her sophomore year in Downey’s Wind Ensemble, so she is glad to be playing it again in New York.
“I’ve been counting down the days ever since I heard that I was accepted,” Jin said. “But I don’t think it will actually hit me that I’m going to perform at Carnegie Hall until I board the plane to New York City.”
She has never been to New York, so she is not only excited about attending the rehearsals but also about site seeing. She is thrilled about being a part of a stage that has been shared by other famous figures, but most importantly, she is proud to represent her school.
