Meet our Artist of the Week – Cellist Grace Ho!
We sat down with Grace to get to know her a little bit better and this is what we learned:
MT: Why did you choose to play the cello? Was is your first choice of instrument? Did you play another instrument before?
Grace: My parents started me on the piano first. But, the cello was my first choice of instrument. As a little girl, I wanted something bigger than me!
MT: Do you come from a musical family? Who inspired you to become a musician?
Grace: Yes, I do come from a musical family. My mom is a conductor and university professor. She was and still is my inspiration to become a musician. I was able to see her doing what she loved in conducting and teaching. She got so much joy out of doing what she loved that it inspired me to do the same.
MT: What is one of your most memorable musical experiences?
Grace: I recently played a concert in Hanoi, Vietnam on the same day I arrived from NYC, where I had a concert the day before. After arriving in Hanoi, I was notified that my luggage didn’t make it to Vietnam, which held all my concert clothes and music. For the concert I was also borrowing a cello from the Hanoi conservatory. So there I was, jet-lagged and wearing a borrowed barely-fitting dress and shoes, playing on an unfamiliar instrument. But, all those issues turned my focus solely onto the music and the result was one of my best and most memorable performances. The audience really responded to my performance and I got some of the best feedback I have ever received.
MT: What would be your dream career if you were to take a different path?
Grace: Fashion designer. I mean I have no skills in that area, but that would be my dream career haha.
MT: If you could choose to play a duet with any composer who would it be? why?
Grace: That is a tough question, I have many in mind… But, I think I would go with Shostakovich! I just love his style in all his music and would love to meet him in person, get to know him more, and rock out on his music together!
