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MOH founder Kelly Xue, currently an 8th grader in Fort Settlement Middle School, together with her teammates Sid Vidya, Roy Yue, and Alex Zhang, won 3rd place in Texas Quiz Bowl Alliance Winter Roundup held on January 19th, 2019. They are selected to enter 2019 Middle School National Championship Tournament in Chicago this May. Because of her impressive competition record, Kelly is also invited to compete at the 2019 NAQT's flagship individual quiz bowl championship in Rosemont, IL this April  Bryant Li is a South Central Division Finalist in the MTNA Junior Piano Competition.
Katy, TX, Oct 30,2018—Li, a Katy native, will compete as a Division Finalist in the MTNA South Central Division for Junior Piano. Li, earned this opportunity after winning the Texas Division of the MTNA Junior Piano Competition on Oct 28, 2018. An 8th grader at Beckendorff Junior High in Katy ISD, Li has been studying piano for 7 years and is currently a student of John Weems. The winner of the division competition will compete in the National Finals during the MTNA National Conference in Spokane, Washington, in March. National Finalists will be announced in mid-January 2019. The three-tiered MTNA competitions begin at the state level. Winners of each State Competition advance to the video-only division competition. Division winners then proceed to the National Competition Finals. Music Teachers National Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of 20,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to advancing the value of music study and music making to society and to supporting the professionalism of music teachers. Founded in 1876, Music Teachers National Association is the oldest professional music association in the United States. Why are we even doing music? Why shouldn’t we spend the money on other things instead? Most importantly, how can we change the world with music?
While pondering over these questions, I realized the answer has always been the same. We bring people together with our music. Countless performances have inspired many people to compose music and change the world. With MDG performing at nursing homes and other places we bring people together and most importantly give them a sense of happier memories. Why don’t I use the money I use on music instead on some other extracurricular activities? Memorization in human beings is the easiest skill to master. Creating things is a whole other matter. Playing instruments is creating ideas and dreams, making your place in the history of human people in music. By creating my own interpretation of all music and creating a completely new sound, I am making myself unique. How can I even begin to address problems in our country that I think need reforms? The answer still lies in music, and more importantly words. Music is an universal language that we all can understand. As said by Plato, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” One example of music being used to address problems is the African-American Civil Rights movement. Bob Dylan’s “Times They Are A-Changin’ ” inspired young generations that felt they needed change. " The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers." ~ Roy Ayers Before I first left for my college visit to the Eastman School of Music, I was always the only one among my friends to studied music. Compared to everyone else, I was heading down a very different path, and I was reminded of that everyday at school. While my friends discussed math and science problems, I pondered the best way to interpret the meaning and context of my repertoire. When my friends collaborated on computer science projects, I rehearsed concertos with my piano teachers. However, as I toured the Eastman practice room buildings and concert halls, music and musicians were everywhere! Even in restrooms, talk about repertoire, lessons, and music theory filled the air! In my introductory lesson with Dr. Alan Chow, I was absolutely amazed by the way he taught. From measures, he showed me all sorts of textures, tones, and interpretations. From phrases, he showed me characters and emotions. From sections, he showed me the context and significance of the work. From my lesson, I had become truly enlightened. Even though the students there all played different instruments, everybody spoke the same language. Coming to Eastman was a truly inspiring experience, for it showed me how music connects everyone together.  A picture of my friend John Cao at the Eastman School of Music
“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Anderson |
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