Thirteen-year-old Sunnyvale resident Christopher Salinas is well on his way to becoming a professional musician.
A pianist for nine years and vocalist for three, Salinas is as musical as they come, and he landed a role as one of the spirits in Opera San Jose’s production of “The Magic Flute,” which opened April 18 at the California Theater in San Jose.
“I auditioned and I wasn’t really expecting much; people came from all over” the Bay Area, he said. “They only picked six kids, and I was picked. I was shocked, in a good way.”
On top of frequent rehearsals, Salinas has piano practice twice a week and attends classes at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music every Saturday.
Because of his busy schedule, Christopher has opted to attend seventh grade at a free online public school.
“About midway through last year, I was going to local public school,” he said, “but I felt that I was getting so caught up in my music that I really needed a flexible schedule when it came to school, and Connections Academy offers that.”
Brooke Shamhart, fifth-grade instructor at Connections Academy, said the online courses allow young kids to hone in on a specific skill or dream.
“It’s a really great fit for those types students that are trying to be something at more of a professional level,” she said. “I have actors, dancers, ice skaters, tennis players and some kids that are just trying to accelerate their grade level. It allows them that time to plug away and really dive into what they want to do.”
According to Christopher’s mother Andreea Salinas, no one else in his family is a musician, and he made the decision to pursue music all on his own.
“We encourage it because I think he needs to be happy,” she said. “Life is short. You need to do what you like in this life.”
Christopher is convinced music is the career path for him one way or another.
“I think I’m going to be a musician my whole life,” he said. “If I don’t become a musician, I’ll be a composer or a music teacher.”
Christopher feels that he is right where he needs to be.
“It’s my thing. It’s in my personality,” he said. “I feel like I have an ear for it. Some people communicate thoughts and ideas through poetry, art, drawing. It’s just an art, and it’s my art.”
