Cello Player From Haddonfield Earns All-State First Chair

HADDONFIELD, NJ — An eighth-grade student from Moorestown Friends School performed as the principal cellist in the New Jersey All-State Concert on May 18 at Community Middle School in Plainsboro, the school announced.

Alexander Kwak, of Haddonfield, took the title of first chair cellist after his scores for his initial and secondary auditions were averaged together.

The numbered “chairs” of an orchestra are a ranking of players’ proficiency and skill; first and second chairs often serve as leaders of their section and may play solos or more complex sheet music.

He also won first chair cello in the All-South Jersey Middle School Orchestra, according to the school.

Kwak played violin from the ages of 6 to 11. In the summer of 2016, he performed with an orchestra in Orvieto, Italy.

When he was 12, he began learning cello. Kwak performed with the Junior High All-South Jersey and All-State Orchestras last year and has also been an active member of the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra since September.