“It’s an amazing feeling hearing that first scratchy noise in the violin turn into the most beautiful sound you have ever heard,” says Brian Velasco. What brings Brian to tears is all the low-income kids who will never get the chance to make that sound. Brian, himself, comes from a family of modest means, but they managed to raise the money to get him that coveted violin, and then he taught himself to play using You-tube. Then “three years ago, I met a great music teacher who gave me free classes. I amstill grateful for what she did.” Brian has since excelled at the violin and has, himself, taken to teaching: music theory, technique, and how to play chamber music to students from age 6 to adult. “My plan is to become a Professional Violinist and director,” says Brian. And he’d like to start a program to teach kid s for free. At Guajome Park Academy, while earning a 3.88 GPA, Brian was a 4 year member of: the Yearbook Team (Photographer and Page Designer), the Academic Team, CSF, Key Club, the Tutoring Club, the Music Club, Fandom’s United; and (since he was 9) a member of Vista’s Adopt-a Block Program. He has received Certificates of Recognition from congressmen, supervisors, mayors and the Vista City Council. On top of that he was a 3 year member of the Mira Costa College Symphony Orchestra and Concert Master of the Renaissance Institute of Music Symphony and Chamber Orchestra. “There are so many words that I could use to describe Brian, says one recommender, “from hardworking, motivated, talented; [and] as you can see, time management is also a part of Brian’s life.” Years ago, Brian was shocked the first time he pulled the bow down on his new violin; “no sound came out. I had to learn about rosin.” Brian’s come a long way since then. He will be attending Mira Costa College in the fall and plans to move on to UCLA where he intends to double major in Music Education and Math.

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