Krystle Kong, Viola
Krystle Kong is a musician on HYPERDRIVE! She grew up in San Leandro, beginning piano lessons in fourth grade. As with most of our Prometheus musicians, she participated in music programs throughout school, starting with violin in fifth grade. And then, why not, let’s also learn tenor sax in seventh grade and play in both San Leandro High School’s orchestra and jazz band. And also in the Castro Valley Community band.
On to University of the Pacific, Stockton, for a major in Music Education, with piano primary. “I didn’t play violin at all while there,” she says. But she did play tenor sax in the band. School went a bit online during COVID, so crocheting and transcribing and arranging music (like pop music for non-pop instruments) filled up time. After graduating, Krystle went straight to work as the Music Director and conductor at San Leandro High School—her alma mater!—also teaching instruments at several elementary schools.
“But, I thought, I need to join an orchestra for myself!” And, following that line of thought, she figured orchestras always need violas, so….“I learned alto clef and forced myself to learn a viola concerto so I could audition.” She found Prometheus online and joined us as a violist. And she subs for St. Joan of Arc Orchestra in San Ramon as…a cellist! And plays sax with Fun’SQ, a saxophone quintet (available for weddings and events).
“I just love learning instruments! I want to learn every instrument and play them at a performance level.”
Oh but that’s not enough. Krystle is finishing an MA in Music Education at the Vandercook School of Music in Chicago—the only college in the US specializing solely in training music educators—online during the school year and in person during the summer. WHEW! We’re so glad she can sit down awhile and just play viola with us!
