Farmingdale Piano Student Plays Carnegie Hall

While many kids his age are chasing balls on the soccer, football or baseball fields, with the dream of playing in the hallowed arenas of their sports, Hoang-Nam Vu of Farmingdale is achieving that dream.

The 14-year-old recently took the stage at one of music’s most hallowed arenas, Carnegie Hall, to show off his piano skills in a recital, part of a ceremony where he and 40 other students were honored for their piano prowess, receiving certificates of excellence from the Royal Conservatory Music Development program.

Hoang-Nam Vu was presented the certificate on Feb. 28 for having the highest score of all New Jersey piano students in the Level 6 Piano assessment, according to a news release from the program. He and the other students gave recitals at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall. In all, 28 students from New Jersey and 13 from Connecticut were honored at the program.

The Royal Conservatory Music Development Program aims to not only encourage musical excellence but sets out a curriculum that not only teaches students how to master the piano, but gives them the skills to improvise and write their own music, according to the program’s website.

In addition to recognizing the top scorers in the Music Development Program, Certificates of Excellence honor music teachers across the United States and the time and effort put forth into training the next generation of great artists. Hoang Nam Vu’s teacher is Lyndall Soden, the release said.

Certificates of Excellence are awarded each academic year (Sept. 1 to Aug. 31) to Music Development Program students in Preparatory A and B and Levels 1 to 10 who achieve the highest standard of excellence in their respective state. To be eligible, they much score at least 80 percent on their exams and have completed the required studies for their level and discipline.