MSN_042519

20 | April 25, 2019 | Malibu surfside news Life & Arts
malibusurfsidenews.com
10-year-old Malibu violinist impresses across the country
Abhinanda Datta
Interim Editor
Some are born with an
inherent talent, while others
have to hone their skills
consistently.
Many artists are a bit of
both, like Malibu 10-yearold
Aidan Fu.
Fu, a student of Webster
Elementary School, has
enthralled the country with
his mastery of the violin. At
the mere age of 10, he has
earned a plethora of awards
and honors.
“I love music and learning
new pieces,” Aidan
said. “I enjoy working with
the conductor and the orchestra
members to make
all of this music happen.”
According to his father,
Charles Fu, Aidan was entranced
by a violin the first
time he saw one.
“One day when Aidan
was 2, I brought out my
violin just for fun, but Aidan
wanted to try to play it,”
he said.
“After that, I showed him
the violin once a week, So,
we rented him a tiny violin,
and when his interest
continued unremitting, we
started him on formal lessons.”
Initially, Aidan was expected
to practice for five
minutes a day, but his interest
propelled him to average
20 minutes, a substantial
amount of time for his
age.
“This is what first stood
out,” his father said, “and
then seeing his great intuitive
sense for the violin, we
suspected he had perfect
pitch. Aidan also memorizes
pages and pages of music
without even trying.”
When Aidan was 5, he
went to the American Suzuki
Institute summer music
camp, the oldest and largest
Suzuki camp in North
America.
Violin prodigy Aidan Fu will perform the Bruch violin
concerto at the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic concerts
on Friday and Sunday, April 26 and 28. Photo Submitted
There, he dazzled the
whole camp with a Vivaldi
concerto, as the youngest
to be selected to perform in
the honor recital.
“After that he got a bit
of rock star treatment with
kids in camp all recognizing
him and talking about
him, and even camp staff
asking him for autographs,”
Fu said.
The Thousand Oaks Philharmonic
recognizes exceptional
talent across Ventura
County and provides
them with the opportunity
to perform with a professional
orchestra. Aidan became
the youngest winner
of the prestigious Philharmonic
concerto competition
and made his debut as
a soloist.
He was also a finalist in
the Classics Alive Young
Artists Audition and has
twice been awarded a scholarship
from the Westside
Committee of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic.
Aidan has won multiple
awards in the finals of the
ASTA National Solo Competition
and at the Southwestern
Youth Music Festival.
Aidan’s musical prowess
goes beyond the violin. He
was a winner at the Southern
California Junior Bach
Festival regional levels in
piano and was also a winner
of the New West Symphony
piano competition.
Time management is
imperative for a child with
Aidan’s skills, and despite
his busy schedule, Aidan
nurtures his other interests,
too — biking, playing baseball
and reading.
He also represented his
school in the regional Los
Angeles County Scripps
Spelling Bee last year.
As a violinist himself,
Charles is committed to
supporting Aidan in all his
endeavors.
“I love music, too, but
Aidan surpassed my playing
ability long ago, and
I enjoy helping him learn
music seeing how he has
blossomed,” he said. “We
will support him in achieving
his goals because we
know how hard he has
worked for them.”
Aidan’s remarkable journey
continues with two
Thousand Oaks Philharmonic
concerts on Friday
and Sunday, April 26 and
28.
For more information
and to purchase tickets,
visit www.tophil.org/eventdetails/.
Faith Briefs
Malibu United Methodist Church (30128
Morning View Drive, 310-457-7505)
Taize Meditation
7 p.m. Tuesdays. Join for
10 minutes or stay for an
hour in quiet meditation and
reflection in the Sanctuary.
Support Group
Anyone impacted by the
fire who is in need of support
may call the church’s
office or email the Listening
Post at TheListening-
PostMalibu@gmail.com
to arrange a support group
appointment.
Co-Dependents Anonymous
7:30-9 p.m. Mondays.
By the time one reaches
co-dependents anonymous,
they have lost touch
with themselves by focusing
on another. This meeting
begins with an affirmation
of each individual’s
own authenticity and attendees
write on their experience
with one of the 55
traits. Members then share
what they’ve written or
pass, then have open sharing.
For more information,
contact risk2change@
gmail.com.
Malibu Music Nights
6:30-9 p.m. third Saturday
of the month. Malibu
artists (from established
musicians to students) will
perform in the courtyard.
To perform, or for more
information, email devonmeyersproject@gmail.
com.
Sunday Worship
10:30-11:30 a.m., Sundays.
Child care available.
Children’s program held
during worship.
Malibu Presbyterian Church (3324
Malibu Canyon Road, 310-456-1611)
Sunday Worship Services
10:15 a.m. Sundays
Connect Hour
9-10 a.m. Sundays
Men’s Breakfast
7:30-9 a.m. Wednesdays
at Marmalade Cafe, 3894
Cross Creek Road, Malibu.
Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue
(24855 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-
456-2178)
Torah Study
10 a.m. Saturdays, with
Rabbi Michael Schwartz.
Open to all.
Tot Shabbat
11:30 a.m.-noon. Fridays.
Celebrate Shabbat
with prayers, music and
dancing.
Waking Up to Jewish Ethics
7:30-9 a.m. Every Thursday.
A discussion group
based on Talmudic sources.
For more information, call
(310) 456-2178.
Hand in Hand
4-5:30 p.m. Every Thursday.
Hand in Hand is an inclusion
program that integrates
youth of all abilities
in an after-school social
program. For more information
on how to participate,
email cantor@mjcs.
org.
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church (28211
Pacific Coast Highway, 310-457-7966)
Sacred Yoga
7:15-8:15 p.m. First
Thursday of every month.
Class with Liz Krystofik.
Martial Arts
4-7 p.m. Mondays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays.
Class with Kurt Lampson.
Sunday School
10-11 a.m. Sundays.
Chabad of Malibu (22943 Pacific Coast
Highway, 310-456-6588)
Distribution Center
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Chabad
is distributing women’s
men’s and children’s clothing
as well as accessories,
shoes, toys and toiletries
free of charge. For more information,
visit www.onewithmalibu.com.
Evening Shabbat Services
7:30 p.m. Fridays.
Saturday Services
9 a.m., Kabbalah on
the Parsha; 10 a.m. Shabbat
service; 11 a.m. Words
from the Rabbi & Torah
Reading; 12:30 p.m. Kiddush
lunch
Our Lady of Malibu Church (3625 Winter
Canyon Road, 310-456-2361)
Centering Prayer
8:30 a.m. second and
fourth Thursdays