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Hendrix. Zeppelin. Pontarelli?

March 1, 2005

By MELISSA HARRISON / Teen Correspondent Special to The Press-Enterprise

Antonio Pontarelli live at The Roxy

7:30 p.m., March 11, 9009 W. Sunset

Blvd., West Hollywood, $10,

(310) 278-9457.

www.antoniomusic.com

Temecula's teenage rock
violinist already has the string credibility.

Antonio Pontarelli, a 13-year-old rock violinist from Temecula, dreams of becoming a world-class rock musician.

Considering he's shared the stage with everyone from Ray Charles to Billy Preston to the San Diego Symphony, Antonio's dream isn't too far from reality.

On the Pax TV show, "America's Most Talented Kids" last November, Antonio's rendition of "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix won him first place. Two weeks ago, he was brought back for the Tournament of Champions and won the grand prize: a package that included cash, a plasma TV, a trip to Jamaica and the title "America's Most Talented Kid."

"It was an incredible experience I'll never forget," Antonio said.

Antonio, who picked up his first violin at age 4, didn't need celebrity judge Daryl Sabrira (from the movie "Spy Kids") to tell him, "You are headed for stardom." After all, he was winning competitions at 7 and was composing original music by 8. When he was 9 years old, Antonio's dad was diagnosed with leukemia. Antonio wrote a concerto for his father, who beat cancer and credits Antonio with healing him through music.

Antonio PontarelliAntonio Pontarelli, a 13-year-old rock violinist, singer and songwriter from Temecula, was crowned winner of Pax TV's "America's Most Talented Kids" special edition, the "Tournament of Champions." Pontarelli rocked his way to stardom with his arrangement of "All Along the Watchtower."

Six-Stringed Passion

"I first spotted the Viper at music camp as a kid," he said, referring to the six-stringed electric violin he's known for playing. "That's when I knew music was what I wanted to do with my life."

Sharing this passion for music is something Antonio feels strongly about, so he's donating his prize money to a foundation he set up with his family, which aims to provide lessons and instruments to young musicians. "For me, it's all about bringing music and opportunities into other people's lives," he said

Being a teen in the music industry has its pros and cons, Antonio acknowledged. "The age factor can sometimes hinder you. You're always going to have skeptics who think your age is a gimmick. You just have to work extra hard to prove them wrong. At the same time, since you're young,

you've got your whole life and career ahead of you, which gives you time to grow musically and build your talents," he said.

Busy Schedule

How hard is it to balance school and a music career? "I go to a charter school," Antonio said. "They're pretty flexible with hours, and they work around my schedule," he explained.

That schedule includes being the concertmaster of the symphonic orchestra of the San Diego Youth Symphony and a first violinist for the Young Musician's Foundation Debut Orchestra.

He's also performing at The Roxy in Los Angeles with teen actress and guitarist Scarlett Pomers of the WB's "Reba," a Riverside native. In addition, he's also working on original material for his upcoming album, which he says is a mix of rock, blues, classical and jazz.

And for fun? Early this month, Antonio attended every music lover's dream: The Grammy Awards. As a member of the Recording Academy, Antonio mingled with some of music's brightest stars.

"I ended up sitting near the lead singer of Incubus (Brandon Boyd). It was so cool talking to him," he said. "I'm a big fan of their music."

Antonio maintains that focus and determination is key to achieving your goals in life. He said, "No matter what you want to do, just follow your heart and go for it. Don't ever give up."