Prodigy develops love for music after watching live violin performance on TV

MANILA, Philippines — For 24-year-old violin prodigy Adrian Ong, who has shown so much musical prowess in the past few years, his love for music was not inspired by a loved one who engaged in it.

Instead, watching a televised violin performance when he was four made such a strong impact on him that he requested for violin lessons as a hobby. Immediately enamored, he started on his musical journey.

“I tried swimming and taekwondo when we couldn’t find a teacher for me. By the time we found one through a family friend, I was already nine years old,” Ong recalled.

Thankfully, his parents, Jeanne and Alan Ong, supported his childhood dream, despite the fact that they initially wanted him to become a dentist.

Ong’s love for the art of music grew stronger after becoming a scholar at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) in Makiling. He never really expected to get into PHSA, where his love for music finally influenced his career path.

By the time he received the news, he was already enrolled in another university. Still, he followed his heart and immediately transferred to where he really wanted to be.

Later, Ong also entered — and graduated with honors — from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan under another scholarship. He likewise received a merit-based scholarship from the Mannes School of Music, where he graduated with honors.

Under mentors Mellissa Geronimo Esguerra, Gina Medina-Perez, Paul Sonner, Lewis Kaplan, and Yibin Li, Ong furthered his studies. He also attended masterclasses with master musicians Ilya Kaler, Almita Vamos, Charles Castleman, Philippe Quint, and Thanos Adamopoulos.

Besides polishing his musical instinct over the years, Ong learned to fall in love with every piece he played.

“Whatever I’m playing is my favorite. Currently, I’m practicing a waltz composed by Eugène Ysaÿe, so it’s now one of my favorites,” he said.

The intended emotions of the composer make the melodies memorable for Ong.

“I take note of the emotions, even the humor or the campiness of the song," the young violin prodigy shared. 

Because of the emotions behind the compositions, music inevitably transforms people. Ong always adored how music seems to be an