Athena on the air

SynopsisLike everyone else, young composers indulge in daydreams from time to time. One can easily imagine a 15-year-old composer wanna-be staring out the window and fantasizing that one day her music will be performed by big-name virtuosos and heard coast-to-coast on a national broadcast.That is exactly what did happen on today’s date in 2002, when 15-year-old composer Athena Adamopoulos heard Yo-Yo Ma and Christopher O’Riley perform her Soliloquy for cello and piano at a taping of From the Top — a nationally broadcast public radio program that showcases young classical musicians from around the country. Occasionally, the show also spotlights young composers, too, as it did the day Ma stopped by as a special guest.Adamopoulos said, “When I heard the piece in my head originally, I heard it something like this, but this is about 10 times better! It’s the most touching feeling in the world.”Even at 15, Adamopoulos was already a somewhat “experienced” composer. She had written several other chamber works by that date and had actually performed one of her first pieces on The Sally Jesse Raphael Show on TV when she was just 8.Music Played in Today's ProgramAthena Adamopoulos (b. 1987) Soliloquy; Yo Yo Ma, cello; Christopher O'Riley, piano; live recording courtesy of ‘From The Top’ (PRI)