Flute and piccolo player Julin Cheung stood behind a beige velvet curtain as he prepared to audition for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

As he played, the jury on the other side of the curtain didn91裸聊视频檛 know he was still a high school student.

It was only after the last of three blind auditions over two days that the orchestra91裸聊视频檚 music director, Otto Tausk, knew they had their new hire 91裸聊视频� and the curtain was drawn back, revealing Cheung to be a 17-year-old.

He91裸聊视频檚 set to become the orchestra91裸聊视频檚 new assistant principal flute and piccolo player, and its youngest ever member.

Angela Elster, president and CEO of the orchestra, recalled Tausk coming to see her after the final audition.

91裸聊视频淗e said two things, one is we found a winner, which often doesn91裸聊视频檛 happen. We can go through national auditions and then international auditions and still not hear the quality that we91裸聊视频檙e looking for,91裸聊视频� said Elster.

91裸聊视频淎nd he said, not only have we found someone, but he91裸聊视频檚 only 17 years old, and he still has to finish high school 91裸聊视频� what do we do with that?91裸聊视频�

Cheung, who is from Seattle and attends the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, will finish Grade 12 there first before officially joining the orchestra as an 18-year-old next April.

91裸聊视频淚 was really nervous for the first time,91裸聊视频� said Cheung of his initial audition.

He only got the idea to stop by Vancouver and audition while on his way back home to Seattle at the end of his school year.

Cheung said his confidence grew in later rounds and by the final audition he felt 91裸聊视频渜uite good.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淥nce you have broken the barrier, it feels much better,91裸聊视频� said Cheung, speaking from Berlin, Germany, on Thursday. He is set to perform at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland as part of its junior orchestra program.

He recalled his surprise after being told he had the job after his final audition.

91裸聊视频淭he first thing I said was that I91裸聊视频檓 still in school right now, so I need another year to finish my school in Philadelphia,91裸聊视频� said Cheung.

Auditions for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra are a 91裸聊视频渧ery anonymous and carefully curated91裸聊视频� process, said Elster.

Blind auditions were important to the orchestral world 91裸聊视频渟o that we have no judgment about who is behind the barrier, except that we listen for the sound.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭hat is exactly what happened when Julin won a spot in the international competition at the end of May,91裸聊视频� said Elster.

Elster said Cheung impressed the jury with his artistry, virtuosity, technique and 91裸聊视频渁 sound that fit right into the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra sound.91裸聊视频�

Cheung91裸聊视频檚 official position doesn91裸聊视频檛 start for nine months, but he has already made his debut with the orchestra, playing as a guest soloist in front of a huge crowd at Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Sunset Beach for the orchestra91裸聊视频檚 Symphony at Sunset performance on July 6.

Cheung said he played Vivaldi91裸聊视频檚 Piccolo Concerto in C Major, RV 443.

Describing performing as the 91裸聊视频渕ost sacred91裸聊视频� experience, Cheung said it allowed him to enter a different era.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 like you91裸聊视频檙e travelling back in time and hearing this music exactly the way that it was meant to be hundreds of years ago. It91裸聊视频檚 the same as looking at a painting from hundreds of years ago,91裸聊视频� said Cheung.

Growing up in Seattle, Cheung said he and his family would visit Vancouver about once a month and he was already a fan of the local food scene and natural environment.

He started playing the flute at six, joined the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra when he was nine, and was the Curtis Institute of Music91裸聊视频檚 youngest student when he was accepted at 13.

He said his age had always drawn attention, but noted that the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra91裸聊视频檚 current principal flute player, Christie Reside, joined when she was 19.

91裸聊视频淚 think age is not so important 91裸聊视频� as long as you91裸聊视频檙e able to communicate with people around you, age is just a number and there are plenty of (young) musicians in the orchestra, so I don91裸聊视频檛 think I am going to be left out,91裸聊视频� said Cheung.

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