The college hosted a classical music show case on Thursday, March 30, to show family members and other audiences the applied students who were awarded with scholarships such as the Scott Henderson Memorial Scholarships for Anna Lopez, Crystal Machado and Phillip Varela; Pepsi Scholarships to Chelsie Lee and Henry Mock; and the Music Teachers Association of California to Raul Arroyo, all part of the music program for this current semester.

“It’s the best of the best,” said Andrew Maz, Chair of Music Department when referring to the performers.

Maz also said that this event is their way to show the community and the school what the students can do. He added that the arts are very important and that everyone should be a part of it.

Timothy Chen, undecided major, volunteered as an Usher when one of his classes was looking for student volunteers. He said that this event is very beneficial as well as other events.

For this particular kind, he said that there are two main purposes to make it important, “As a performance and also as to recognize people who are doing well in the Applied Program and to also serve as a scholarship kind of benefit concert.”

Chen also said that art is important because it shapes our culture and that it is important to be intentional about what kind of art and culture one consumes because it forms “our social fabric.’’

He said that there is no reason for performers to be shy about their talents or when the time of performing comes.

“When you are on the stage and you are performing, you are performing something that you already know, you’re not doing anything new, you’re doing something that you’ve spent hours and hours preparing yourself in the practice room; When the performance time comes, to own that performance,” mentions Chen.

Andrea Aguilar, music performance major, was one of the performers at the event. Flutist Aguilar performed along with pianist Kim Kyounghee, she said that she had been practicing for her performance for the last three months.

“It made me feel proud because my work finally payed off, all those hours practicing in the room,” she expressed.

Aguilar has been playing instruments for 10 years now; besides the flute she can also play the piano and the marimba. She said that more people should attend these events because they give the chance to show the world that musicians are important too.

“We want to spread out the word to people that music is still important, even if it is classical music,” she said.

She encourages other students that are shy to perform or express a talent, to “play their heart out” and to do what they love.