There are many music classes offered at high school and at the feeder schools. Sophomore John Lee has been in orchestra for four and a half years, and is playing at the Kauffman Center on Sunday, May 5 with a professional orchestra accompanying after winning first place at the Kansas City Civic Orchestra’s annual Youth Artist Competition.

“The Kansas City Civic Orchestra hosted a competition and I participated and won,” Lee said. “I won a cash prize and was given an opportunity to play with the orchestra with my solo.”

He said there wasn’t a specific selection process for the Kansas City Civic Orchestra competition, which granted him the opportunity, although there was an audition.

“There was a church and I basically went in there and multiple people played their solos for a few judges and afterward they announced the winner,” Lee said.

Lee’s been in the school orchestra for two years, and said it’s a great group.

“I like the community,” Lee said. “It’s really nice to share music with a large group of other people who also enjoy music.”

Prior to the Kauffman Center opportunity, Lee said he has won awards both in school and outside of school.

“I [have] received a lot [of awards],” Lee said. “I have received the Golden Bridge award, which was sort of an arbitrary award my teacher gave me for outstanding accomplishment.”

Despite winning multiple competitions, Lee said he still has some things he struggles with.

“The biggest challenge is trying to get used to fitting into a larger whole,” Lee said. “You’re one out of like 100 people so it’s kind of hard to get used to being one piece of the whole puzzle.”

As he reflects back on orchestra, Lee said he thinks about the music.

“It’s really great to be in an orchestra, especially when you perform on stage you are surrounded by the music,” Lee said. “It’s really a different experience from watching it from an audience because you are surrounded by the sound.”