At just 11 years old, Amelia Ly of Peoria has performed in some of the world's most respected venues, including Carnegie Hall multiple times, Vienna’s Musikverein and London’s Royal Albert Hall, to name a few.
But her latest performance and international orchestral debut with the Lviv National Philharmonic of Ukraine was an especially big milestone.
"It was an amazing experience playing with that kind of orchestra. It was really magical for me," Amelia said. "There were just so many people there watching me play and just listening and supporting me by being there."
Amelia started taking piano lessons at the age of four in Peoria. She attended many Peoria Symphony Orchestra concerts, which she said were a big source of inspiration for her.
"Sometimes there would be soloists playing with the orchestra, and I just remember I was like, 'Oh, my God. One day I want to play in that position, to be the soloist with the orchestra.'"
Now, years later, Amelia can say she's performed with multiple orchestras, including the Peoria Symphony Orchestra that she looked up to when she was younger.
While living in Peoria, Amelia said she also gave back to the community through her talent by performing at retirement homes and nonprofits.
"It's always a really interesting experience," she said. "It's for them. It's for everyone. I can interpret it in my own way. And it's just a very lovely experience."
She said she enjoys being able to bring joy to others through music, something that was especially true at Amelia's concert in Lviv, Ukraine last week.
Amelia's mother Gina Guo said not only was the concert a showcase of Amelia's talent, but also a "powerful act of cultural diplomacy" as the region endures ongoing attacks from Russia.
"There is a compelling message and power that behind the confident playing, behind the cultural differences, that there are beautiful things that life is worth living for," she said.
She said Amelia's appearance in Lviv also carried exceptional cultural significance, as she is part of a rare, unbroken lineage that traces directly back to Beethoven through her mentor, Dr. Craig Nies, and the legendary pianist Mieczysław Horszowski, a native of Lviv.
Guo said Amelia's performance in Horszowski’s birthplace represents "both an artistic milestone and a symbolic return of that musical heritage to its origins."
She said while Amelia may not yet fully understand the weight of her performance in Lviv, Guo said Amelia does know that she was a part of something special that the audience will remember for a long time.
"I think perhaps in the future, she will know how precious this opportunity is and how profound that she could bring the joy for the Ukrainian people, who are actually suffering on a day-to-day basis, but living in such cheerful way," she said.