CELLIST: Pacal Cornejo-Reynoso performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the 2014 High School Honors Performance Series.
By Andrea Alvarado, Staff Writer
Pacal Cornejo-Reynoso (12) first became acquainted with the cello in his fourth grade year at Victoria Elementary School, where each student was given the opportunity to learn a string instrument. “My parents steered me towards the cello being that there would be more scholarships for me down the road. I knew it would be something that I would enjoy,” he explained.
He played with the UC Riverside Orchestra for two years before becoming a member of the Corona Symphony Orchestra and the Claremont Young Musician Orchestra. He considers playing with both orchestras as great experiences that helped him with his musicianship. “Most of the orchestra members are older and I am able to learn a great deal from them. At this point in time, this is the closest I can get to playing in a professional orchestra. I need all the experience I can get,” he said.
Cornejo-Reynoso first learned of the opportunity to audition for the High School Honors Series from a fellow cellist in the UC Riverside Orchestra. He recorded his audition and sent it in this past August. On October 31, he was notified of his acceptance into the orchestra. “When I learned that I had made it, I was in shock. Only the best musicians in the world have been lucky enough to perform at Carnegie Hall, and I—along with the other members selected—was going to have that privilege,” he said.
Cornejo-Reynoso enjoyed his time at Carnegie Hall, noting that it was an unforgettable experience. “All of the musicians who had been selected to perform along with me were extremely friendly and dedicated. Orchestra rehearsals were incredibly long and intense, but everything came together beautifully at the end,” he said.
The orchestra played two pre-selected pieces for the sold-out concert: “Carnival” by Dvorak and Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony. The participants rehearsed eight hours a day under the direction of the New Jersey Orchestra’s conductor, Jeffrey Grogan. “The concert was nearly flawless. To have that many people inside of Carnegie Hall watching you perform is simply unreal,” Cornejo-Reynoso said.
Though Cornjeo-Reynoso does not see himself pursuing a career as a concert cellist, he notes that music will play a key part of his future. “The cello is something I will always enjoy. I plan on having my college major be somehow associated with music. I have so much left to learn, and I hope to one day pass on that knowledge to someone else,” he said.