Are you an aficionado of the fine arts and music? Or perhaps you don't know the difference between a footnote and a high note (no judgment here!).
Meet Emad Zolfaghari - Oakville's very own musical prodigy. A viola player of critical acclaim who has gathered accolades of success.
Here are the facts:
- Moving from Michigan in 2018 - Emad joined the Toronto Symphony Youth where he performs as a principal player.
- Emad performs at the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists on full scholarship as the only student violist.
- He has performed in various concerto competitions, winning first place in the 2020 Guelph Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and second place prize in the 2020 Oakville Chamber Orchestra Competition.
- Emad was a finalist of the 2018 Royal Oak Concerto Competition and the 2019 Geringas Memorial Scholarship competition.
What does this mean for the 16-year-old Abbey Park high school student?
As a result of his achievements, Emad will appear as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Guelph Symphony Orchestra, and Oakville Chamber Orchestra in the 2020/21 season (depending on the pandemic).
Emad's also won a full scholarship (covered in the Globe and Mail) to the Morningside Music Bridge Summer program - a distinguished program for musicians worldwide.
In fact, Emad, had been accepted to participate again with Morningside Music Bridge Academy for this summer, but, due to the effects of the pandemic - he is automatically accepted into next summer's cohort (as are the other students in the program).
Yet, if differentiating between a viola and a violin isn't your top task on today's list, it might interest you to know how this Abbey Park High School student managed all these accomplishments, while still attending school along with migrating from the US to Canada.
The Beginning
Before Emad was an Oakville resident, he grew up in the US. - Michigan specifically. In fact, Emad started his musical journey playing piano in the States at the tender age of four, and started playing the viola at age ten.
"I actually enjoyed the piano a lot," said Emad, explaining his shift to the viola. "One time, at a school orchestra, I picked up a viola out of curiosity, and I started playing it. I enjoyed the instrument, and luckily, I found a teacher who really helped me reach a high level of performance."
Emad mentioned his teacher Shanda Lowery-Sachs from the Detroit Symphony. "She was a great teacher, and I improved so much because of her," said Emad, crediting his rapid improvement in the viola to his music teacher.
Bringing It Home
In 2018, Emad moved to Toronto, where he found another teacher at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (and the University of Toronto) Theresa Rudolph. Starting his new undertaking with his teacher, Emad has been involved with many music institutions that helped Emad progress. In the Fall of 2018, Emad's teacher found out about the Morningside Music Bridge summer program and encouraged him to apply.
"She told me that it was one of the best institutions I could apply to that summer, besides which, every student gets a full scholarship. We set up professional recordings of specifically requested pieces. Several months later, I received an email saying that I was
accepted into the program. At the time I was very excited because I put in a lot of effort into recording the pieces, and I was truly grateful."
Morningside Music Bridge
Spending a month at Morningside Music Bridge was incredibly transformative for the young musician, and Emad speaks very highly of his time at Morningside for many reasons including:
- The program brings out some of the best music teachers on a global scale.
- Students from all over the world including countries like China and Israel attend.
- The program created a platform that connected students to many renowned artists.
Emad had an incredible experience at the academy and by applied again (with no guarantee of being placed again just because he was previously accepted). He asserts that there is no other program like it. Emad had to put together recordings all over again and is grateful to have secured the a second scholarship.
"The primary objectives of our programs are to identify and promote outstanding young artists, create enhanced educational and performance opportunities, and create enhanced development opportunities for music educators," said Maimie De Silva, Project Manager at Summerside Music Bridge.
"We seek to promote inter-cultural understanding and mutual respect among all participants, as it is part of our vision to expand community and corporate based support for cultural interaction in the participating countries. This way, we develop long-term partnerships between international communities, and build a bridge of understanding and creativity that spans the world," continued De Silva.
"It's just so intense and different from all the other programs I have ever been to. Every year I just hope to come back because it is such an inviting place and improves continuously as an institution," added Emad.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the program was canceled this summer, however, everyone accepted for this cohort have been automatically accepted for next summer.
Music At Large
Emad's accolades of success in the world of the viola and classic music, are by no means something that benefits only high performance musicians.
There are a wide variety of reasons to pursue a keen interest in classical music and comprehending the dutiful composition that goes into the viola as well as violin compositions.
"In the midst of humanity's musicality, violas are something that speak to the human being," says David Kirkland, a Toronto based visual artist. "Originally made from wood and animals, it's preverbal. The resonance and the deepness of the instrument is a fascinating dichotomy as well. I find what's intriguing is the older the better with violas and violins."
Illustrating the depth of the instrument is one of his interests, David added a new layer of dimension to the world of music. How about you? Have you ever considered taking up an instrument?
Emad shares his thoughts on the benefits of enrolling in music.
"I think playing any instrument teaches you so much about dedication, having the feeling of reward when you perform something and show finished work.
"It teaches you much about discipline. I've been here for two years. Every Friday I take the train to Toronto and attend classes at the Conservatory. I manage homework along with four to five hours of dedicated sessions in order to refine my music. It takes a lot of dedication to get good at performance, but the first step is to be unafraid of making mistakes. Even senior musicians are fully capable of making mistakes on stage, so don't tear yourself down. It's also never too late."
Emad further acknowledged that he has learned to understand the value of efficiency, time, and not being overwhelmed, attributing practicing the viola to great time management.
Next for Emad
Emad mentioned that his future plans include auditioning for different conservatories and music schools to take his musical career forward. His goal is to someday be part of a professional symphony orchestra, fully realizing his dream.
Emad mentioned his mom as his musical inspiration (a performing pianist) as well his aforementioned teachers, not excluding his classmates and peers in the academy and orchestra. His favourite parts of Oakville include the Oakville Chamber Orchestra and the Oakville Symphony Orchestra (where his brother is currently auditioning for the Youth Orchestra).