By Kathleen McAleese
Feature Editor

Most people discover a passion in their lives, whether it be a sport they play, a hobby they have taken up since childhood, or, in Kadar Qian’s case, an uncommonly intense passion for music.

Qian, a freshman here at Westford Academy, has been sitting in front of the piano ever since the age of four. Fascinated by his older brother Kevin’s talent for the same instrument, Qian was inspired to learn and master piano.

Qian was practicing about an hour per day with piano lessons with A. Ramon Rivera at the Rivers School Conservatory once a week, on top of conducting lessons with Yoichi Udagawa.

Conducting has been a recently born talent for Qian, taking it up in the past few years. He has conducted two pieces in concert with the Melrose Symphony and the Quincy Symphony.

The freshman work load is different and much heavier than the work load from middle school, but Qian said, “As long as I love what I do, I will always find time for both [school and music].”

Being a young musician, Qian is involved in From the Top, a radio station and television program showcasing young classical musicians. Having been invited by From the Top, Qian was interviewed, recorded, and featured about his life on and off stage.

Performing has always been something that many people have trouble with, regardless of how many times you do it, but for Qian, his nerves are not so much of a problem.

“The minute I sit down on the bench and start playing, everything becomes relaxed. You have to let the music flow and have direction and I think the only way to do that is to be excited before and extremely calm and composed when you start playing,” said Qian.

Besides performances with the Boston Civics symphony, Metrowest Symphony, Lowell Philharmonic, Quincy Symphony, and the Rivers Symphony Orchestras, Qian has been recorded by Naxos, where his music will be put in the Naxos Classical Library, a collection of classical music on CD’s. Qian has also played with the professional Boston Landmarks Orchestra.

“I have always believed that there is an intersection where music meets technology. Aside from playing piano, I am also really interested in technology and programing. At the intersection of where technology and music meets, that’s where I want to be,” said Qian. “Combining two passions is my goal… to find a balance between music and everything else.”

Check out Kadar Qian’s Youtube.