Vicky Chen Uses Winnings to Treat Classmates to a Concert
CPO youth competition offers an opportunity to expand classical music fans.
Congratulations to two LJCDS students for earning top spots in the inaugural Coronado Philharmonia Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Victoria “Vicky” Chen ’26 placed first, and Sequoia Jain-Hong ’33 placed second in their age groups. The competition welcomed young instrumentalists ages 7 to 21 performing on strings, winds, brass, piano, harp, and guitar.
Vicky earned first place with her performance of Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16: I. Allegro molto moderato. Gold medal winners received prize money and the chance to perform with the Coronado Philharmonia Orchestra.
Victoria “Vicky” Chen ’26 placed first, and Sequoia Jain-Hong ’33 placed second in their age groups. The competition welcomed young instrumentalists ages 7 to 21 performing on strings, winds, brass, piano, harp, and guitar.Each competitor performed a concerto or solo movement accompanied by piano while judges evaluated technical skill, musicality, repertoire, and memorization. Winners earned the opportunity to perform as soloists with a full orchestra, a milestone many young musicians spend years pursuing.
Vicky earned first place with her performance of Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16: I. Allegro molto moderato. Gold medal winners received prize money and the chance to perform with the Coronado Philharmonia Orchestra.
What made Vicky’s achievement especially meaningful was what she chose to do next.
Rather than spending the $500 prize on herself, Vicky invited classmates to attend the orchestra concert so they could experience classical music live, some for the first time. She designed posters, promoted the event around campus, and encouraged fellow students to join her at the Coronado Performing Arts Center for the CPO’s performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on September 6, 2025.
Her classmates enthusiastically accepted the invitation, joining Vicky’s friends, teachers, and family members in the audience. Also onstage that evening was Middle School strings teacher Joe Rowling, one of Vicky’s longtime mentors and a member of the CPO viola section.
“It was my second time playing with an orchestra, and it felt especially meaningful,” Vicky said. “Sharing it with people I care about made the night even more memorable. Music is a way for me to channel my emotions, but also to change them. I wanted other people to experience that too.”
“It was my second time playing with an orchestra, and it felt especially meaningful,” Vicky said. “Sharing it with people I care about made the night even more memorable. Music is a way for me to channel my emotions, but also to change them. I wanted other people to experience that too.”
Even after more than a decade of performing, Vicky says nerves are still part of the experience.
“Before every performance, there’s always a moment where I think, ‘I can’t do this,’” she said. “My dad is always there, reminding me that I can.”
That support system, combined with years of discipline and self-reflection, continues to shape both her musicianship and perspective.
“There’s no shortcut,” Vicky said. “You have to be patient, disciplined, and willing to start from scratch if you want to grow.”
The evening became more than a concert. It was a reminder of how talent, generosity, and community can spark curiosity and open doors, and how one student’s passion can inspire others to explore something new.
Read the interviews with Vicky and Mr. Rowling in The San Diego Union-Tribune article.
