Dec 18, 2009
Albert Wu
12 Kelsey
Irvine CA 92618
(949)413-7484
To: Princeton University School of Music and Admissions
As Margaret Wang’s private viola teacher and orchestra director for the past six years, it is my great pleasure to recommend Ms. Margaret Wang to Princeton University for the 2010-2011 school year.
As a violist, Margaret is a dedicated and fully committed musician. She plays with a refined sensitivity, warmth, and strong musical instincts. Whether she is performing solo repertoire or orchestral excerpts, Margaret is always focused. Her position as Principal Violist in many orchestras shows her standard of excellence, and this has set her apart from other violists.
Margaret’s work ethic is admirable. As a teacher, it is rare to see students so incredibly self-motivated, organized, and focused on the task at hand. Always planning for another competition, audition, or concert, Margaret is the consummate artist and leader.
From 2004 to 2009, Margaret Wang was appointed Principal Violist in the Irvine Young Concert Artists. One of her legacies for my orchestra is how helped expand the viola section roster. Four years ago, IYCA had two viola students. Four years later, IYCA now has sixteen viola students, due in large to Margaret’s involvement. She is a much sought after violist, recruited by UCI Professor Jerzy Kosmala and Junior Chamber Music Director Susan Boettger every year to be their scholarship recipient.
In 2005, Margaret was featured on Fox TV in the “NFL on Fox: Christmas Special,” broadcast live to 120 million viewers. Conducted by Mischa Lakirovich and Terry Bradshaw, it was a highlight in her high school career.
An accomplished violist, Margaret has served as Assistant and Principal Violist in many orchestras. Every year, we reschedule our lessons due to her work in the All District, All Southern, All State, and the All National Honors Orchestra “Orchestra America.” She is Principal Violist at her school, in the Irvine Young Concert Artists and performs solo concerti several times every year. Irvine Mayor Beth Krom knows her by first name, as do many Irvine politicians. She stands out amongst the sea of musicians in Irvine, most of which lack involvement in what they do.
In the past five years, Margaret’s began her love affair with political fundraisers, international relations, and national charities – all through her viola, in performances. Since 2004, Margaret Wang has performed over ten times in Irvine’s City Hall for it’s meetings, special events (State of the City Meeting), re-election events, fundraisers, and campaign events. In 2006 and 2008, Margaret volunteered her time for Mayor Beth Krom in her campaign for mayor. In 2009, Margaret performed for the Orange County District Attorney, UCI Professor and Dean of the Law School Erwin Chemerinsky, by special invitation.
Margaret’s involvement and impact on political events in Orange County is unique for a high school student. It earned notice from her school and from Irvine Mayor Beth Krom. There are many highlights. In 2007, Margaret was a featured soloist at the Disneyland Hotel for Senator John Edwards. In this concert, she also performed for Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Senator Lou Correa, Senator Art Torres, Senator Joe Dunn, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, California Attorney General Jerry Brown (now running for California Governor), State Assemblyman Jose Solorio, Tony Mendoza, and Lt. Governor John Garamendi.
In June 2007, Margaret Wang performed again as soloist for a fundraiser in Newport Beach for the Democratic Party of Orange County. Present in the audience were former President Bill Clinton White House Advisor, Senator Hillary Clinton’s 2008 Chief Campaign Manager, as well as TV personality Arianna Huffington, actresses Dame Judi Dench and Beth Broderick. Since July 2009, Margaret Wang has been involved with Beth Krom’s run for Congress.
The list does not end there. Through her viola, Margaret Wang’s interest with charity work often leads her to work with some of the most respected national charities such as the Daniel Pearl Foundation, Team Kids, Colin Powell’s America’s Promise Foundation in Washington D.C., the Relay for Life (American Cancer Society), the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) Heroes With Heart Awards, Western Youth Services, the Irvine Prevention Coalition, the Irvine Fun Fair, Sandy Segestrom’s Festival of Children, the OC Natural History Museum Annual Fundraiser, and the OC United Way. An active performer in Orange County as well, Margaret Wang has been invited to perform at the Mission Viejo City Council meetings, the Richard Nixon Library, and the Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza.
In 2004, Margaret’s participation in a gala fundraiser concert helped raise over $4000 for Hurricane Katrina victims. In 2007, she performed and helped raised thousands for victims and firefighters of the Orange County fires. As Margaret’s teacher, it is my belief that music has the power to educate, enlighten, and enrich lives but also to aid those in need. Margaret’s belief with this vision proves how she is able to impact lives locally as well as internationally.
Unlike most musicians who join orchestras for social reasons, Margaret Wang performs an average of thirty times yearly, often as soloist. She is a deeply committed and passionate musician.
Margaret is worldy in her ambitions, and she is interested in activities that cultivate a connection with the younger students. In 2007 and 2008, Margaret’s impact on my youth orchestra grew as she developed the Irvine Young Junior Artists Mentorship Program.
In Irvine, there is a music program, in the public schools, for students who are in fifth and sixth grades. There are, however, no music classes for those who are younger than age ten. IYJA was created to address some of these problems, and how Margaret helped stimulate interest to play viola at an early age is admirable and worthy of your attention.
What impresses me most about Margaret is that she has a vision in life. Margaret often speaks about her dreams to be a teacher. This was her dream in seventh grade. Throughout high school, she began to exercise this interest. Every Saturday, Margaret would devote about five hours to my two orchestras. In the morning, for two hours, Margaret would arrive with the younger students (ages 8 to 13). She would sit side-by-side with a young viola student, rehearse with them, and perform with them. For two years Margaret gave her time to music and to the younger students. During that time, the viola section in the younger orchestra gave birth and grew, and I give Margaret full credit to this.
Always generous to give her time away, Margaret’s work is appreciated by parents and myself. She is a role model and leads by example. Her involvement with IYJA in those two years gave birth to the IYCA Mentorship Program, which now has inspired others to the world of “teaching.” For Margaret, teaching was giving, and she gave unconditionally.
Margaret is the most active student I have taught in the past ten years. We often have to reschedule lessons because of her schedule -- she is a varsity athelete in two sports, a participant in five orchestras a year, the President of KIWINS, Principal violist in IYCA, and on the Student Council at her school. Every activity forementioned shows her consistency, deep commitment, and reveals her tenacity. Very few students are this ambitious, have done it all in high school, and want more. And this is what impresses me most about Margaret: a strong musical conviction and hunger for more.
For six years, I’ve had the rare opportunity to nurture a strong musical voice within Margaret Wang. She is driven and everything she does impacts her peers and teachers. Because she always maintained her studies in her private lessons and orchestral repertoire with me, Margaret has had more opportunities than most of my other students when it comes to performing. I am hopeful that Princeton University will recognize such a talent and nurture it with more ideas.
In the realm of classical music, and as Margaret Wang’s viola teacher, I highly recommend her to your attention, as I believe Margaret will be an excellent addition to Princeton University.
Yours Truly,
Albert Wu
Executive Director, Irvine Young Concert Artists
Former Violin Professor, Vanguard University & Orange Coast College
Former First Violinist of Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Opera Pacific
