Fifth grader plays in
Symphony Music School concert

Two years ago, 10-year-old Wilbur Song took up the violin. This month, the fifth grader will play second violin in a Webster University Symphony Music School String Orchestra concert.

Song was introduced to the violin in third grade at Oak Brook Elementary School. "I signed up for a 30-minute class. I liked it so much that I asked my Dad if I could take private lessons," Song said.

He has been taking lessons for two years. His teacher is Mikhail Lobko, a Russian music teacher here in St. Louis.

Also, his mother purchased a "one-quarter sized" violin for him while visiting China. She made the purchase in Shanghai 1 1/2 years ago.

That violin is a little small for him now. But, a local violin shop owner is building a "one-half sized" violin especially for him. "He says I could play it now but it hasn't had the final finish put on yet," Wilbur said.

With his new violin, he's also going to get a new bow. He broke the bow he uses with the smaller violin and his dad had to fix it. He used a wrapping of string which is held together with glue.

He thinks the new violin will last for two or three years before he needs a still bigger size.

Wilbur's rapid improvement on the violin has earned him an award. He was the AmerenUE Bright Star for January. The award is given by radio station KFUO/Classic 99.

(For information on the Bright Star program, you can log on to the KFUO/Classic 99 website at www.classic99.com.)

His Oak Brook Elementary music teacher, Melanie Murphy, nominated Wilbur for the AmerenUE award. She said his playing "took off like a rocket in third grade. His ability and stage presence were remarkable right from the beginning."

Wilbur was the only third grader to perform a solo that summer at the Parkway Schools string instrument camp.

Asked about his interest in music, Wilbur said, "I like to listen to music. I like to play music. It makes me feel good."

He said the good feeling comes because "I can feel myself get better at playing."

Wilbur said he doesn't have any special pieces of music he likes the best. "I like whatever piece I'm playing at the time," he said.

He takes violin lessons from Mr. Lobko once a week, on Saturday mornings. Then, he also practices at home about 50 minutes a day.

He said his violin teacher asked him to give a demonstration for parents of prospective students. He was to show how much improvement was possible in a short time.

His appearance on Saturday, Feb. 9, with the music school string orchestra will be his first public concert. However, he does play with fellow Oak Brook students at school concerts.

Wilbur admits that he's got a lot to learn about how to play the violin. "My teacher says I have to make my hands relax more," he said.

He also admits he gets nervous sometimes while playing. "Sometimes, when I get off a little, I screw up the whole piece," he added.

He's the only family member to take music lessons. But, his father, Keming, does play a Chinese instrument called the "erhu." The name means "two string," Wilbur said.

His father has an "erhu" instrument. It looks a little like a violin. But, the instrument has only two strings and the strings of the bow run between those two strings on the instrument. The "erhu" stands on the floor while it is being played.

Wilbur said he doesn't know how to play the Chinese instrument.

Although Wilbur likes to play music, he doesn't think that will be his only career choice. He wants to be both a musician and a scientist. He's particularly interested in entomology, the study of bugs.

"Ever since I've been five, I've liked bugs. I always felt bad when people killed them," he said. Bugs can be very helpful and useful to humans, Wilbur added.

Wilbur moved with his family to the St. Louis area from San Francisco. They now live in Ballwin, in west St. Louis County. He has an older sister, Jane, 17, and a younger brother, Luke, 6.