16-year-old Christine Hong took the MPAC Recital Hall stage Nov. 25 as the guest soloist at the “Mostly Mozart” benefit concert for Colorado flood victims. Adorned in a sleeveless black concert dress with her violin at her side, Hong looked unassuming as the orchestra started the Allegro from Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3.

“I’ve never been invited to perform like this,” Hong said.

As a junior at Noble & Greenough School in Boston, where she also attends the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, Hong was in disbelief when her mother told her she had been invited to play at CMU by visiting assistant professor Dr. Joung Hoon Song. He was known for his jokes, but when the seriousness of the offer dawned on Hong, she knew she couldn’t pass it up.

“For the first time in my life, I thought, ‘wow, I’m going to have the opportunity to play a concert that will actually benefit someone, other than touching them emotionally, it will actually do something to help people,’ and that kind of meant something to me,” she said.

Hong’s talent is unquestionable and she proved it to everyone in attendance Monday night, according to Song.

“[Hong was] absolutely spectacular, of the highest artistry and professional of the technique and musicality,” Song said. “Everything was there, so I’m very, very thrilled with her performance. Even the members of the orchestra were impressed by her.”

“Mostly Mozart” sold 150 tickets in advance of the concert and took donations at the door, raising $480 for a relief charity to be decided upon in the coming days. Though the turnout was modest for a venue that seats 300, Song was extremely pleased with the attendance.

“It was so meaningful, especially right before Thanksgiving, everybody fully dedicating their hour, energy, and musical experience to one event and everyone feeling great,” Song said.

As of Nov. 13, the Front Range communities of the tens of thousands of lives affected by the September floods have received upwards of $177.4 million in state and federal assistance according to FEMA. While the cost will continue to grow, Song is resolved to help in any way he can, including artistic considerations for the victims being benefitted.

“Sometimes we perform music related to [the distaster], sometimes we do the opposite,” Song said. ”I try to do—like [Monday night]—mostly Mozart to cheer up everything and have people in one spirit, and then have them open their pockets and contribute.”

Monday night’s benefit lasted a lean 35 minutes of “Mostly Mozart”, a choice Song believes was crucial to the concert’s success. Also invaluable to its success was the impressive young Hong, who flew back to Boston with her mother and grandparents on Tuesday.

“In this case, more of a joyful, compact [program], and more happiness, [performing] the ‘please help us’ in a very joyous way brought us together,” Song said.

amaenche@mavs.coloradomesa.edu