HARLINGEN – A 16-year-old sophomore Harlingen high school student received the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall and tour with their youth orchestra over the summer.

Matthew Garcia attends Harlingen school district’s School of Health Professions. His chosen career path is in the medical field.

“For school, I do intend to apply to Harvard University and hopefully get into their medical school there,” he said.

But he also has a passion for playing the violin.

“One day when the Gutierrez Middle School orchestra came to my elementary, I heard them play and just instantly I fell in love with the sound of string instruments,” Garcia said.

He picked up the violin and never had a private music teacher. Now he’s on his way to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of their National Youth Orchestra.

“And after that we’re going to be touring for about two and a half weeks in Mexico City, Quito, Ecuador and Bogota, Columbia,” the student said.

The tour would be the first time traveling out of the country for the teen.

But Garcia actually has performed at Carnegie Hall before. “I was part of the 2014 and 2015 Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall,” he said.

The teen does show promise with his music, but he said he’s sticking with his goal of going into the medical field.

“I’ve thought about going into music but I feel like my heart has always been set on medicine. I’m currently interested in pursuing a career in cardiac anorectic surgery. But I would love to do music on the side. As a side hobby, teach lessons, be in an orchestra,” Garcia said.

Tina Garza, the high school principal, said Garcia does the music outside on his own.

“He has the arts. He has the academics and I think those are all very key components that make him just an overall great student,” she said.

“When I called my mom she started crying. She couldn’t believe that it was actually happening. They are absolutely ecstatic for me to go,” Garcia said.

Some doctors put on different music when they are in the operating room. “For me, I would definitely put on classical music,” he said.

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