OUTSTANDING STUDENT

PEOPLE

Emerald Lewis

Journey into music carries LMHS jewel home.

INTERVIEWER: JAMES COMBS ≈ PHOTO: NICOLE HAMEL

VITAL STATS STATS

• Senior at Lake Minneola High School. • Maintains a weighted 5.0 grade-point average. • Completed seven advanced placement courses and seven dual-enrollment courses.

Tell us about your journey into

music: My grandmother had been music: in musical theater her entire life and in musical theater her entire life and my two older sisters played piano, my two older sisters played piano, so I’ve been surrounded by music so I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life. I started band in sixth my whole life. I started band in sixth grade. I initially chose to play the grade. I initially chose to play the alto saxophone, but there were too alto saxophone, but there were too many students playing it, so I got many students playing it, so I got put on oboe. put on oboe. challenging and technical because it has two reeds. Most instruments only have one reed. With a double reed instrument like the oboe, two pieces of cane vibrate against each other when I blow against them. It takes a lot of precision. I spend about eight to 10 hours a week playing the oboe. performed in numerous honor bands, including the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) and the UCF Rising Knights Honor Band. I’ve also performed solo at several state musical festivals.

Why do you love the oboe? It’s very

challenging and technical because it has two reeds. Most instruments only have one reed. With a double reed instrument like the oboe, two pieces of cane vibrate against each other when I blow against them. It takes a lot of precision. I spend about eight to 10 hours a week playing the oboe.

Where have you performed? I’ve

performed in numerous honor bands, including the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) and the UCF Rising Knights Honor Band. I’ve also performed solo at several state musical festivals.

Tell about your favorite

performance: I’m also involved with the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, and in the summer of 2019, we toured and performed for 12 days in China. We went to Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. For me, this was very special because I’m from China and was adopted by an American family when I was 10 months old.

performance:

with the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, and in the summer of 2019, we toured and performed for 12 days in China. We went to Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. For me, this was very special because I’m from China and was adopted by an American family when I was 10 months old.

• Completed seven advanced placement courses and seven dual-enrollment courses.

What was it like to return to your native country? It was life your native country?

changing. I enjoyed seeing the culture, changing. I enjoyed seeing the culture, eating the food, and being surrounded eating the food, and being surrounded by other Chinese people. Since I by other Chinese people. Since I don’t speak Chinese, communicating don’t speak Chinese, communicating with others was a little di cult, but with others was a little di cult, but it motivated me to start studying it motivated me to start studying the language. the language. Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Florida, and the University of Miami. I’ve already been accepted into Baylor University’s honors program. something in the medical profession so I can help people. However, I’d still like to nd time to be part of an orchestra and perform in concerts. I’d also like to give private lessons.

Colleges applied to: The Peabody

Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Florida, and the University of Miami. I’ve already been accepted into Baylor University’s honors program. Future plans? I want to do something in the medical profession so I can help people. However, I’d still like to nd time to be part of an orchestra and perform in concerts. I’d also like to give private lessons.

What would you like to do in the

medical fi eld? I’m not 100 percent medical fi eld? sure. I do like neuroscience. sure. I do like neuroscience.

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