Teen prodigy helps Modesto Symphony start its season

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra rhapsodizes on youth for its classics season opener.

The symphony is bringing in 15-year-old piano virtuoso Ray Ushikubo to perform the George Gershwin favorite “Rhapsody in Blue” on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15, at Gallo Center for the Arts. The show kicks off the orchestra’s 86th classics season.

Music Director David Lockington will lead Ushikubo and the orchestra in the show that also includes several other classical favorites including Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-Down,” “Billy the Kid Suite” and “Fanfare for the Common Man,” and Franz Liszt’s “Hungarian Fantasy.”

The teenage piano prodigy made his orchestral debut at age 10. He has since performed at Carnegie Hall and Merkin Concert Hall in New York City and on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Based in Riverside, Ushikubo said this will be the first time he performs the Gershwin composition professionally.

“It’s obviously a really famous piece and has been one of my childhood favorite pieces. This piece has a lot of jazzy rhythms, which is something I’ve never really done before,” he said. “The ragtime music was really fun to learn and get used to the rhythms.”

The junior in high school, who keeps up his education through independent study, said it was actually a television show that got him interested in pursuing music. When he was 5 he watched “Nodame Cantabile,” a series based on a popular manga graphic novel, and was inspired by its professional pianist, violinist and conductor as its lead character.

“I was like, ‘Dang, I really want to be like him.’ That’s how I started and approached playing music,” said Ushikubo, who also plays violin professionally.

He said his days are split between four hours of piano, four hours of violin and five hours of schoolwork. Being able to perform with professional orchestras has been his goal since he started.

“To perform with an orchestra is like my life dream, and it’s just the best type of concert that I have ever experienced,” he said. “Playing with an orchestra is the most fun thing to do.”

Ushikubo said his age has never been an obstacle to working with professional orchestras. And he tries to reach out to aspiring musicians his age, and older, to inspire them to pursue their passion. As part of his appearance with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, he will meet with California State University, Stanislaus, students as part of a mini-recital Friday, Oct. 14.

The free event will also be live-streamed so local schools can take part. It will run from 1 to 1:50 p.m. at the Snider Music Recital Hall or at www.csustan.edu/music/live.

“I am still very much an aspiring musician, so talking with other young aspiring musicians is something I can really relate to,” Ushikubo said.

This story was originally published October 11, 2016 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Teen prodigy helps Modesto Symphony start its season."