A 12-year-old girl is making history as she becomes one of the youngest composers for the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. Grace Moore’s achievement is explored in a video for the Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers program, which provides people with or without musical backgrounds the chance to create music and have it played by the Philharmonic musicians.
Participants are also mentored by the Philharmonic Teaching Artists, according to the program. Moore — who wrote “Summer,” the song featured in the video above — was one of the chosen few who had the opportunity to hear her original piece played by the Philharmonic orchestra at a world premiere in October. “Music just gives me another way to express myself because I’m shy,” Moore, of Brooklyn, explained during the event. “I feel like music can change how people see the world around them.”
The seventh-grader, who attends Poly Prep Country Day School in Dyker Heights, first got into music when she was just 2 years old after her mom bought her a piano, CW affiliate WPIX reported. “I think music is really important,” her mother explained in the Philharmonic’s video. “If you don’t remember anything, you remember a song.” From that point on, Moore has stu*k with it and continued to create music — something she told KPIX she hopes will inspire others. “I hope everyone follows their hobbies and do what they love,” she told the local outlet.
Moore explained that she was influenced by what was unfolding around her while writing her classical piece. “I was thinking about current events in quarantine like coronavirus and BLM,” she shared in the Philharmonic’s video. She also expressed her gratitude, saying, “I want to say thank you to everyone who decided to choose me.” Her proud mom, who watched on as her daughter’s piece was performed, echoed her sentiments in the video.
“I am so happy that she was able to showcase her piece, her debut of ‘Summer,’ with the wonderful program Very Young Composers and the New York Philharmonic,” she said.