Asher Koh (9) has always had music in his life. He has perfect pitch, a skill only about 1 in 10,000 people have. This skill generally develops during early childhood. 

“When you play a pitch, and then you can instantly tell what the pitch is without having another reference pitch…That’s what perfect pitch is,” Koh said.

He has great skill in many instruments, including the violin, melodica, guitar and piano, though he prefers the violin and piano. His perfect pitch contributes to his astonishing musical abilities. 

“I enjoy playing the violin for its rich tone, and the piano because you can pretend to be any instrument and have a large range of notes,” Koh said.

Though violin and piano are his favorite instruments, he can pick up new ones easily due to his musical experience. Koh has been playing music from a very young age and has become quite skilled at his craft.

“I started the violin at the age of three and a half, and I started piano at the age of 5,” Koh said.

Koh has also won the St. Charles Community College’s Youth Artist Competition 2020, playing Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, and is also part of the St. Louis Youth Symphony, a highly competitive group that is very hard to get into. It is one of the best orchestras in the area, and only very advanced musicians are able to make the cut. Koh hopes to someday become a music producer with his talent for music. Currently, he enjoys improvising, arranging, and composing in his free time.