- [Presenter] On this episode of "On Stage at Curtis," (lively violin music) in partnership with the Curtis Institute of Music, WHYY presents the following program.

(lively violin music) - I'm Hannah Tam, I am 19, and I'm from Hong Kong and I play the violin.

(lively violin music) My parents aren't musicians, so my brother was the one that actually inspired me to start the violin.

So it was good having, growing up with a older sibling, playing violin together.

But he's not playing the violin anymore.

He's a medical student.

My mom was with me though, so I would practice probably like 30 minutes a day.

My mom would just sit beside me.

(lively violin music) At first, they were a little hesitant just because my parents don't have connections in the musical world.

(lively violin music) When I was 9 or 10, I told them that I wanted to pursue this as a career and they told me, "If you wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, we have connections that we can help you, but if you're going down this path, we're not sure who to reach out.

We're not sure how to establish your path."

(lively violin music) But I was very insistent on doing what I liked.

But they've been nothing but supportive since then and they still are.

(lively violin music) So obviously a part of me knew that I was going to audition at one point but didn't know if I was going to get in.

And I remember the summer before I auditioned, I was 11, 'cause I auditioned when I was 12, when I was 11, my parents were talking to this donor after a concert of mine and they were joking around saying, "Oh, if you ever get into Curtis you can stay at my place."

And at that point my mom was like, "Well yeah, if she gets in."

So to that point, up to that point, it was never really something that we thought I could achieve at that point.

But it's always been a dream, just seemed a little impossible back then.

(lively classical music) I understood where they were coming from because I also had pretty good grades.

So I feel like my parents didn't want me to give up on that because if I were to pursue music, then obviously I would spend more time in music than academics.

Though obviously a part of me hoped that they knew where I was coming from and they did at the end.

Because I have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep these days because my mind is always on what I can do to improve and what I can do tomorrow, what I'm practicing this and that.

So maybe that.

(lively classical music) I think my passion for music was just so big.

Also, I'm a very ambitious person.

I love setting goals for myself.

Even little goals, like daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, I love to do that for myself.

So I think from a young age I already had that in me.

(lively classical music) My first performance is from March 13 this year with my good friend, Carlos, we played the Schubert "Fantasie" together.

It's one of my favorites of all times, so.

And I actually learned this for the competitions that I'm doing next week.

And I'm very happy that I learned it.

(audience applauding) So hard to play, but it's so intimate and personal.

So it's very hard to achieve when you're on stage and the nerves are kicking in.

But obviously rehearsing with Carlos was such a joy.

He's such a fun person to work with.

And I had, we had, we both had so much fun performing.

(suspenseful classical music) (suspenseful classical music continues) (bright classical music) (bright classical music continues) (bright classical music continues) (bright classical music continues) (bright classical music continues) Right now when I'm in college, I have, obviously I have more classes.

A day in my week would consist of solfège, music history, course study, so I would have classes from 9:30 to lunch and then have a little lunch break.

And then in the afternoon maybe chamber rehearsals, private lessons with my teacher, and then sometimes depending on if we have orchestra concerts that month we will have orchestra rehearsals.

(pen scratching) (lively violin music) It is a pretty busy time for me at Curtis, especially second years 'cause it's kind of known that second years are the busiest at Curtis.

(lively violin music continues) At nights, once a week my teacher will have a studio class and that's when her students, all of her students come together in a class and then whoever is ready to play or is preparing for something, plays in studio class.

(lively violin music continues) I would say sincerity when you play on stage because obviously the audience wants to see who you are as musician and having their own distinct approach to each piece, and I think I would love to, what, when I go to concerts, I would love to see when musicians just give and give and give, especially in chamber music, 'cause I'm a huge fan of chamber music.

So when I watch people play in string quartets when they just give so much to other people that they don't expect to take back, I really love to see that.

So I think that's one of the bigger qualities I look for when I see people play, just selflessness, I would say.

(dramatic piano music) (upbeat violin music) Oh, Curtis has done so much.

I basically grew up here 'cause I've been here since I was 12.

I'm 19, so my whole, I guess teenage childhood years were built here.

(dramatic piano music) (upbeat violin music) I opened up a lot as a person and as a musician obviously, and getting to meet people, and my teacher, Ida Kavfian that I've been studying with for seven years have done so much, and having all the musical studies that I've done here, I think it's the, if not the most important things in my life that I've done being at Curtis.

The second performance is my quartet from last school year with my friends, Iman, Laura and Della.

(audience applauding) This is the WC string quartet.

(chairs clattering) (pages rustling) Super fun group.

So the Curtis Chamber Program, they let us choose our own groups, our own pieces, and our own coaches, which is great because WC was high on our wishlist so the four of us came together and decided that we would do this.

So yeah, we performed also end of March.

(lively classical music) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (gentle classical music) (lively classical music continues) Playing wise, obviously as of now I've been doing classic music, I love listening to jazz.

I was actually listening to jazz this morning when I was getting ready.

So if there are opportunities, I'd love to step into the jazz world.

I love jazz, don't really know how to play or do it, but I would love to learn, so jazz I would say.

(lively violin music) I would do my masters somewhere, I haven't decided yet.

(lively violin music continues) Because it's such a long time from now, and I have, I want to perform, I love performing, so I would hope to do something that's close to that in the future, like traveling and performing.

(lively violin music) So 9-year-old Hannah, what was I thinking?

Oh, okay, I would tell her that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.

I would say that, simple and sweet.

(lively violin music) 12-year-old Hannah, after getting into Curtis, I would say, I would tell her, oh, I like this question 'cause it gets me thinking.

(lively violin music) Don't miss out on any chances that you are able to get, appreciate everything and don't take anything for granted.

Not that I was, but just as gentle reminder, not to take anything for granted because Curtis gives you so much in your career and in life.

So it would be great if I had appreciation and know that it was so, know that I was so lucky to have that at such a young age I would say.

(gentle violin music) (lively violin music) (lively violin music continues) 19 right now, telling my future self or, oof.

(faint lively violin music) I have so many questions (chuckles) for my future self, but not things that I would say.

Questions, like how, I don't know, how has it been, like what, mm, I guess I would wonder where I would be, 'cause I'm still thinking every single day where I would be for master's in graduation and how my career looks like.

Because obviously when you're a doctor, you know you'll be a doctor.

If you're a lawyer, you know you'll be a lawyer.

For me and for musicians, we don't really know what we'll be doing in the next 10 years, so I'm very curious, and obviously I have a goal in mind and I will work towards that.

But very curious to see what my future will look like, 'cause I could be doing so many things as a musician, there's so many varieties.

So I guess just a lot of curiosity.

(lively classical music) (lively classical music continues) (lively classical music continues) (gentle bright music)