By Risha Rohera
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Junior Chris Vu was only five years old when he found his passion for playing the piano. After 11 years, Vu still refines his skills constantly, composes original songs and performs for various audiences at an extremely high musical level.
Vu began playing the piano after his mother, Hoa Vu, a former concert pianist, gave up her career after giving birth to him. Vu would sit and listen to the piano lessons his mother gave to students.
“She never planned for me to learn piano,” Vu said. “She noticed that after she was done [teaching], I would play what she taught her students. That’s when she realized [that I could play the piano], and so she decided to teach me herself.”
After many years of practice, Vu became a leader of the Music Students Service League. Students in grades six through 12 are involved in this organization. Members of this organization play on the weekends for senior homes in California on a monthly basis.
“It was started by a group of five high school students from the South Bay, including me,” Vu said. “What we do is play music for senior citizens. Just last month we played at Silverado [Senior] Living in Irvine, California.”
Vu has several videos on YouTube of him playing the piano on his YouTube channel, “thevuutrain.” He has an estimated 507,000 total video views, with his first upload having approximately 400,000. He has been uploading videos of his musical performances for three years.
“I love hearing what people say about my playing and how it makes them feel,” Vu said. “Even the comments I see on YouTube make me feel good about playing piano.”
Vu enjoys playing for his friends, family and members of the community. He has also played at different gigs, such as the assisted living facility Belmont Village and Knott’s Berry Farm. He performed as a wedding pianist as well at the Edward’s Mansion in Redlands, California.
“Chris inspires me to keep practicing piano and play more often,” junior Jessica Mendez said. “He is really good and will keep getting better.”
Although Vu does not want a job in music in the future, he plans on majoring in music in college. He aims to stay a musician throughout his life.
“I plan on double majoring in music,” Vu said. “I want to study music even further in college just for my interest in it, but not as a a professional career.”
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