In February, Patrick Pan was in Bowling Green dazzling listeners
and judges with his piano playing.He won the Dubois Piano Competition.Impressing people comes easily for the
15-year-old from Houston, Texas.He’s won honors for his performance on piano and violin, and for his
achievements in math and science. He won the state MathCounts competition at 12 and dissected a sheep’s
brain at 4.Having already passed about a dozen Advanced Placement courses with the top grade, he’s already
looking toward college with Columbia and Harvard topping his list.If people make a big deal about these
accomplishments, Pan reacts modestly. "Usually I try not to make a big deal about it."Not that
he’s shy about sharing his talents.He founded the string quartet at Clear Lake High School that performs in
nursing homes, libraries as well as for competitions.He’s performed as a piano soloist with the Houston
Symphony. And earlier this year he was putting the finishing touches on his application to appear on NPR’s
"From the Top."The radio show, hosted by pianist Christopher O’Riley, features the top classical
musicians ages 8 to 18 from around the country.Pan, the son of Dr. Y.S. and Rouza Pan, said by telephone
this week that he was proofreading his application for the show when he got a call from the program’s
production staff informing him he would appear on "From the Top" during the live taping of the
program at BGSU.O’Riley, Pan and several other top musicians will present the live taping of "From the
Top," Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. in Kobacker Hall in the Moore Musical Arts Center on campus. It is the kickoff
performance of the College of Music’s Festival Series.Pan said he finds performing for radio "an
exhilarating experience."Performing under pressure is nothing new. He started playing piano at 3 and
began competing shortly thereafter.He picked up violin at 7. He’s concertmaster of Houston Youth Symphony.
While he won competitions on that instrument as well, his musical interests gravitated toward piano.He’s
looking forward to returning to Bowling Green. He said he enjoyed the Dubois competition, especially since
the Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe of the Anderson and Roe Duo served as guest judges.The piano duo
known for their daring music videos are his favorite artists, he said. And he got to see them perform live
for the first time at BGSU.Pan, who studies with John Weems., will share the "From the Top"
spotlight with other young artistsQuartet Lumi?©re, first place winners of the Junior Division of the 2013
Fischoff National Chamber MusicCompetition, will perform the first movement from String Quartet No. 1 in G
minor by Edvard Grieg. Based at The Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago where Marko Dreher is their
coach, members are 18-year-old violinist Rebecca Benjamin, 16-year-old violinist Gallia Kastner, 15-year-old
violist Mira Williams, and 15-year-old cellist Josiah Yoo.Quartet Lumi?©re will also perform the fourth
movement, "Salamandrae (Fire)" from String Quartet No. 1, "Elemental", an original
composition by 17-year-old composer Chason Goldfinger from Malvern, Pennsylvania, who will also appear on
the show.Lena Goodson, a 15-year-old contrabassist from York, Pa. and studies bass with Devin Howell,
Sheattends Central York High School, the principal bassist of Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.Violinist Sein
An, 15, is a student at Temple Music Prep and is a recipient of the "From the Top" Jack Kent Cooke
Young Artist Award.O’Riley will be making a return visit to Bowling Green. He performed a Festival Series
concert and served as guest judge for the Dubois competition in 2012.O’Riley said doubters expected
"From the Top," which first aired in 2000, to run out of prodigies once producers had gone through
the talent pools at Interlochen and Juilliard Prep.But the show has tapped a depth of talent from across the
country. It is a testament to the dedication of teachers giving "first rate" instruction on all
instruments, O’Riley said.It’s a testament to the dedication of the youngsters as well. The effort put in by
musicians is extreme, practicing hours a day. They often have a broad range of interests, which they address
with similar devotion, O’Riley noted.Yet seldom do they receive the recognition such efforts
deserve."Classical music has not been attended to with the kind of attention that athletic or even
spelling bees have.""From the Top," O’Riley said, hopes to remedy that.