Even at her young age, Denair resident Neve Foresti has a lot of achievements under her belt. The sophomore from Modesto High School has already earned recognition as a piano playing aficionado, a skillful tennis player, an engineering enthusiast, and is even enrolled in the school’s International Baccalaureate program.
This past summer, Foresti placed second at the Music Teachers’ Association of California State Convention in Los Angeles, an annual event that gives students a chance to showcase their musical talents. Representing the MTAC Stanislaus Branch, Foresti performed Piano Concerto No. 3, Opus 26 Andante-Allegro by Prokofiev.
Foresti admitted that the MTAC Convention was one of the first competitions that she has done in a while, instead saying that she usually participates in tests, specifically those with the Royal Conservatory in Canada. Foresti recently took a test with the music education organization and received an extraordinary score.
“The judge gave her a 91 percent, which is distinguished,” said mother Janisse Foresti. “Rarely anyone gets over 60 percent and she got a 91 percent, which is quite a big deal.”
Foresti hopes to get the highest score in the nation next year so she can play at Carnegie Hall. When it comes to preparing for the exam, Foresti already knows what she needs to do to improve.
“Of course I’m going to practice,” said Foresti. “But I’m trying to focus more on my musicality in order to get the best score.”
When she is not practicing piano, Foresti is on the tennis court. Although she has just recently gotten into the sport this year, the sophomore has already made it on the Modesto High School tennis team.
“I like how tennis is more about strategy and skill, you don’t necessarily have to have a natural athletic ability,” said Foresti. “It’s also very fun because it’s a game.”
In between the time devoted to playing piano and tennis, Foresti still found the time to enroll in a three week introduction to engineering course at John Hopkins University over the summer. There she designed a spaghetti bridge, a mouse trap, and participated in a materials lab. The camp has since sparked her interest of becoming an engineer.
“I realized in the engineering course that applied science and math is very interesting,” said Foresti, “and I like building bridges.”
When asked about what was next for the sophomore, Foresti is still debating between an engineering class at Cornell or the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. However, based on Foresti’s previous achievements, everyone can be sure that she will succeed in whichever one she chooses.
