Loren Gigi, an 18-year-old from San Francisco, has spent nearly her entire life surrounded by music. This fall, she will embark on her academic journey at UC Santa Cruz, where she will study astrophysics. Although her focus is now on the sciences, her passion for music remains strong. Loren has been playing the violin since she was three and a half, and her musical story is deeply connected to her time at CMC.
Music was a family affair from the start. Loren’s mother rented her first tiny 1/16-size violin from a local shop. She began practicing for five minutes, twice a day. By the age of five, her talent earned her a full scholarship to the prestigious San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The same year, she met Sin-Tung Chiu at CMC, who became not only her instructor but also her mentor throughout her musical journey.
An Exceptional Mentor: Sin-Tung Chiu
Sin-Tung Chiu is no ordinary violin teacher. Born in Hong Kong, he began his musical training with Chung-On Chan. In 1964, he moved to the United States to continue his studies at institutions such as Dartmouth College, The Juilliard School, and the Aspen Music Festival. Over the course of his career, he performed at major venues like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, and he toured South America, India, and Israel.
Loren recalls how her journey with Mr. Chiu began with a trial lesson. “Mr. Chiu guided me through every challenge,” Loren says, highlighting how his feedback and support helped her grow. A special memory she treasures is when he recommended a small gray metronome, a practice tool she still uses today.
Building a Musical Home at CMC
Loren’s time at CMC was about more than just lessons. It was a place where she was able to grow as a performer and as a person. CMC became her second home, and being part of Mr. Chiu’s quartet, alongside other students, was key to her development. Loren remembers how fulfilling it was to play with students of different levels and how CMC’s supportive environment gave her confidence.
One of her most memorable moments was her performance in 2014 at SF Jazz during a fundraiser for CMC. Loren shares: “I vividly remember my performance at SF Jazz in 2014 for a CMC fundraiser. Before my performance, I remember following Mr. Chiu around like a little duck to the practice room. I only remember his positivity, and he was very confident in me, very calm. I think my parents, especially, were afraid that I would freak out on the stage because it’s a very big stage with a large audience, but I finished my performance of Allegro by Fiocco with success, and didn’t want to leave the stage. After a couple of bows, my accompanist, Katy Luo, was very kindly and gently hinting that we could walk off, and I was just trying to stay there every second I could.” she recalls with a laugh.
Although Loren is now more focused on astrophysics, music will always remain a part of her life. She plans to continue taking violin lessons and has already secured a position as a substitute violinist for the Santa Cruz Symphony. With six years of experience in the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and participation in the National Youth Orchestra, Loren believes her time at CMC will continue to influence her musical journey.
When asked what advice she would give to other young musicians, Loren emphasizes the importance of trusting teachers and parents. She says: “My advice to young musicians is to trust your parents. Once you find a teacher you connect with, trust them too when they help you, push your limits, because you have a unique opportunity. Find music that you love, try learning it, and whatever time you spend learning music, you definitely won’t regret it. I think similarly for parents,exposing your child to music and to teachers and finding a connection with a teacher, I think, is very key to building the partnership and to keep on being inspired.”
For Loren, CMC will always be more than just a music school. “To me, CMC is my family,” she says. “It’s a place filled with support and love, where you can learn music at any level.” As she begins her new adventure at UC Santa Cruz, Loren carries with her not only the skills she has learned but also the sense of community, friendship, and music that will always be part of her life.