Flute and piccolo player Julin Cheung stood behind a beige velvet curtain as he prepared to audition for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

As he played, the jury on the other side of the curtain didn含羞草研究社檛 know he was still a high school student.

It was only after the last of three blind auditions over two days that the orchestra含羞草研究社檚 music director, Otto Tausk, knew they had their new hire 含羞草研究社� and the curtain was drawn back, revealing Cheung to be a 17-year-old.

He含羞草研究社檚 set to become the orchestra含羞草研究社檚 new assistant principal flute and piccolo player, and its youngest ever member.

Angela Elster, president and CEO of the orchestra, recalled Tausk coming to see her after the final audition.

含羞草研究社淗e said two things, one is we found a winner, which often doesn含羞草研究社檛 happen. We can go through national auditions and then international auditions and still not hear the quality that we含羞草研究社檙e looking for,含羞草研究社� said Elster.

含羞草研究社淎nd he said, not only have we found someone, but he含羞草研究社檚 only 17 years old, and he still has to finish high school 含羞草研究社� what do we do with that?含羞草研究社�

Cheung, who is from Seattle and attends the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, will finish Grade 12 there first before officially joining the orchestra as an 18-year-old next April.

含羞草研究社淚 was really nervous for the first time,含羞草研究社� said Cheung of his initial audition.

He only got the idea to stop by Vancouver and audition while on his way back home to Seattle at the end of his school year.

Cheung said his confidence grew in later rounds and by the final audition he felt 含羞草研究社渜uite good.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淥nce you have broken the barrier, it feels much better,含羞草研究社� said Cheung, speaking from Berlin, Germany, on Thursday. He is set to perform at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland as part of its junior orchestra program.

He recalled his surprise after being told he had the job after his final audition.

含羞草研究社淭he first thing I said was that I含羞草研究社檓 still in school right now, so I need another year to finish my school in Philadelphia,含羞草研究社� said Cheung.

Auditions for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra are a 含羞草研究社渧ery anonymous and carefully curated含羞草研究社� process, said Elster.

Blind auditions were important to the orchestral world 含羞草研究社渟o that we have no judgment about who is behind the barrier, except that we listen for the sound.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hat is exactly what happened when Julin won a spot in the international competition at the end of May,含羞草研究社� said Elster.

Elster said Cheung impressed the jury with his artistry, virtuosity, technique and 含羞草研究社渁 sound that fit right into the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra sound.含羞草研究社�

Cheung含羞草研究社檚 official position doesn含羞草研究社檛 start for nine months, but he has already made his debut with the orchestra, playing as a guest soloist in front of a huge crowd at Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 Sunset Beach for the orchestra含羞草研究社檚 Symphony at Sunset performance on July 6.

Cheung said he played Vivaldi含羞草研究社檚 Piccolo Concerto in C Major, RV 443.

Describing performing as the 含羞草研究社渕ost sacred含羞草研究社� experience, Cheung said it allowed him to enter a different era.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 like you含羞草研究社檙e travelling back in time and hearing this music exactly the way that it was meant to be hundreds of years ago. It含羞草研究社檚 the same as looking at a painting from hundreds of years ago,含羞草研究社� said Cheung.

Growing up in Seattle, Cheung said he and his family would visit Vancouver about once a month and he was already a fan of the local food scene and natural environment.

He started playing the flute at six, joined the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra when he was nine, and was the Curtis Institute of Music含羞草研究社檚 youngest student when he was accepted at 13.

He said his age had always drawn attention, but noted that the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra含羞草研究社檚 current principal flute player, Christie Reside, joined when she was 19.

含羞草研究社淚 think age is not so important 含羞草研究社� as long as you含羞草研究社檙e able to communicate with people around you, age is just a number and there are plenty of (young) musicians in the orchestra, so I don含羞草研究社檛 think I am going to be left out,含羞草研究社� said Cheung.

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