Orchestra Director Joseph Alcocer says Ceyne Park is among an elite group of talented young musicians
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor
Remember this name: Ceyne Park.
The seventh grade violinist at Tappan Middle School was selected to perform in a masterclass for Mimi Zweig this past weekend at Central Michigan University—a surprise to no one.
“Ceyne is a fantastic young violinist and, without a doubt, one of the best players I’ve ever worked with,” says Tappan Orchestra Director Joseph Alcocer. “I first met her in fifth grade as her strings teacher at Burns Park. At Tappan, she’s been a huge asset to the orchestra program- she assists class by tuning instruments, leading sectionals, and mentors her peers, always with a positive and supportive attitude. Her future as a violinist is bright, and I’m privileged to be small a part of it.”
Zweig is a violin professor at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and considered one of the great string pedagogues of today.
“I’m honored to be part of Mimi Zweig’s masterclass, and also honored to be the first chair in seventh grade orchestra,” said Ceyne, who has been playing violin for seven years. “I’ve learned a lot of things while being part of orchestra, and knowing that I can play the violin has helped me a lot.”
She practices for an hour or so most days, and says the time is usually fun—and even when it’s not, it’s productive.
“You get struggles; you get obstacles,” she says. “But it’s fun jumping over those and improving.”
In addition to music classes at school, Ceyne takes private violin lessons from a University of Michigan professor.
Ceyne is the daughter of June Ha Park and Euyon Lim.
Ceyne said her mother, Euyon, a pianist who accompanied her Saturday at CMU, is her biggest inspiration and supporter, and that she loved performing together.
“I remember going on stage and I was super nervous, but Mimi Zweig was so kind, and she gave me advice that was super helpful for the first page and my overall for my playing experience,” says Ceyne, of the masterclass experience.
Alcocer said it was a highly prestigious honor to be selected to perform for Zweig, and that a masterclass in music functions as a one-on-one lesson with an audience of teachers observing.
He learned about the event and connected Ceyne shortly after the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association all-state orchestra concert (where Ceyne was concertmaster). She had to submit an audition video to the Central Michigan University violin professor Dr. Fangye Sun to be accepted into the masterclass.
Alcocer sees a brilliant future for Ceyne, who has every intention of continuing to play the violin for many years.
“I’d like to be in some kind of orchestra when I grow up so that I can keep going with my violin playing experience,” she says.
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