Teen violin virtuoso hits the right note

Although as a young child Lillian Arnold Mages found a sparkly pink cello at her family friends’ house “very enticing,” she knew even at age 5 that her true calling was to play the violin.

“It’s always been driven by me,” said the Waltham 16-year-old about her deep desire to play professionally. “That’s my dream. … I want to play with the [Boston Symphony Orchestra] at some point.”

She is on her way. The Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra, a nonprofit civic symphony, featured the home-schooled 10th-grader during its concert last month, an achievement for which she is extremely proud.

Arnold Mages’ first solo performance with the WPO took place in December 2023. When she found out about the opportunity, she said, “I think I started crying. … You work so hard for so long and it’s always something I’ve wanted to do.”

“She’s growing fast artistically — developing a distinctive voice, taking on [a] challenging repertoire and responding well to high-pressure environments,” said violin instructor Anait Arutunian, who works with Arnold Mages at New England Conservatory Prep in Boston. “She’s learning how to balance the technical demands of the violin with musical expression, and that’s been really exciting for me to witness.”

Arutunian has been teaching Arnold Mages and her younger sister Josephine for seven years and observed, “You could tell right away that these are kids that have excitement about music.”

When Arutunian learned the WPO would be featuring Arnold Mages last month, she said she was “very proud and overjoyed for her because she deserves it.”

Noting “the work is never done” when it comes to practicing, she praised Arnold Mages for her dedication to the violin as well as her singing voice, saying, “She’s just really committed and focused.”

Early passion, looking to future

Arnold Mages’ journey to the spotlight began at age 5, when she decided to emulate her two older sisters, Camille and Emily, who were already playing the violin.

“I think it was really fascinating … I wanted to be like my older sisters,” she said. 

She was soon learning Texas-style old-time tunes and then developing a love of classical music by age 6 when the family lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Arnold Mages, her dad and three sisters also performed in their family band called Queen of the West, which featured Western swing, country, bluegrass and other musical styles. Although the group has a Facebook presence, there are no upcoming shows.

“I just loved playing on stage and playing with my family,” she recalled.

After moving to Waltham when she was 9, Arnold Mages and her younger sister took lessons at NEC Prep and entered competitions. Although she said she “dabbled” in playing the mandolin and guitar, she’s always returned to her first love, the violin.

When she’s not playing Vivaldi’s “Winter” (part of “The Four Seasons”) and other classical pieces, she enjoys listening to music legends Celine Dion and Dolly Parton, pop star Sabrina Carpenter and others.

Her own violin, which was made in 2023 at Reuning & Son Violins, is a copy of the famed 1704 “Venus” Stradivarius, which she said the company had in the shop.

Asked if she hoped to one day play a real “Strad” — one of the most desirable violins in the world — Arnold Mages enthusiastically replied, “Yes! Oh, definitely.”

In the meantime, Arutunian said Arnold Mages will be studying and performing at Bowdoin College in Maine this summer. After that? “The sky is the limit,” said Arutunian.

Her upcoming performances include

• Boston Lyric Opera with NEC Prep on May 3 at 2 p.m. in Symphony Hall. For more information, visit https://blo.org/noahs-flood/ 
• As a member of the Chamber Music Intensive Performance Seminar (CHIPS) through the NEC Prep on May 12 and May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Jordan Hall. For more information, visit https://necmusic.edu/events/chips-concert-1/
• As a member of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at the NEC Prep on May 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Jordan Hall. For more information, visit https://necmusic.edu/on-campus/performances-events/

Concord Orchestra runner-up recital on June 1 at 1:45 p.m. at 51 Walden Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit https://www.concordorchestra.com/dreaming