For many people, cartoons are the gateway to classical music. That includes Blue Springs native Carter Medina, whose interest in the cello was sparked by an episode of "Little Einsteins."
"The episode ['Hello Cello'] completely stuck out to me at that young age and I just had to play the cello. That's where it all started."
That initial spark has grown into a lifelong passion for Medina, who now, at 17, is the co-principal cellist of the Youth Symphony of Kansas City and the Missouri All State Orchestra. In the summertime, he attends the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School in New York.
Medina also had the opportunity to be a featured soloist on NPR’s prestigious From the Top program, which showcases the best young classical musicians in America.
"I remember going to cello lessons and listening to From the Top - listening to students everywhere - and it just seemed like something that was almost unattainable because these kids were so amazing," Medina says.
After a virtual audition from his grandmother's house, Medina attained the unattainable and was put on the show.
For his mother, Jennifer, being on From the Top was a full circle moment, and affirmation that her early support for Carter's passion for music was paying off.
"He was obsessed with listening to all types of music, not just classical music, even as a two year old," she remembers. "He actually asked Santa Claus for a French horn for Christmas when he was two, which panicked me a little bit because where does one, you know, attain a French horn for a two year old?"
Medina ultimately found his place with the cello.
"I'm finding now the cello is kind of a retreat because, you know, high school is pretty difficult," Medina notes. "The world's pretty difficult and it's really nice to have a solid foundation and a solid thing to turn to, which is my practice."
Past high school, where does Medina see himself?
"I mean, I think every cellist wants to be a soloist," he says with the laugh. "But I think the the polite answer is to say orchestra or something else."
"I really thrive in an environment where there's colleagues around me constantly and that orchestra setting would provide that for sure."
Carter, and Jennifer, understand that the pursuit of these goals may mean leaving Kansas City - and home.
"I know it's inevitable," say Jennifer. "I mean, I want him to be able to experience everything that he can experience.
For now, though, Carter is soaking in as much music and as much of Kansas City as he can.
"I love Kansas City and I love the culture here," he says," I love the art museum, I love the symphony. I'll probably be somewhere else in the world later on, but I'm gonna try to absorb it."
You can learn more about Carter and his appearance on From the Top at fromthetop.org. From the Top can be heard every Saturday 10-11a.m. and Sunday 7-8 p.m. on 91.9 FM and classicalkc.org.
