VCUarts Music students Arianna Greggs and Kevin Nguyen grew up playing music as part of their public school systems, and they’re now using their talent to advocate for the importance of public arts funding. Greggs is a fourth-year violin student graduating in May 2025 with her Bachelor of Music, and Nguyen is a third-year cello student, anticipated to graduate in 2026.
In July 2024, both participated in the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Summer Music Institute (SMI). Located at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Institute provides high school and college students with a pre-professional program to help them gain performance opportunities and practical skills to pursue a professional music career.
Greggs noted that her participation in the SMI was heavily influenced by the fact that the program is “a tuition-free festival,” which is unique for a program of its caliber. This significantly offset the personal financial requirements needed to participate.
Through the connections they made and the obvious dedication to their music, Greggs and Nguyen were contacted by the Kennedy Center to perform as SMI alumni as part of a string quartet at September 2024’s Congressional Record: “a night of music and arts education advocacy in partnership with the Congressional Musicians Caucus and Congressional Arts Caucus.”
Having grown up performing in Norfolk school orchestras, Greggs and Nguyen benefitted from the accessibility of music programming and education. This instilled in them an appreciation for the importance of music in a student’s life and a passion for music advocacy, so they both jumped at the chance to advocate nationally.
The night of the Congressional Record, they performed as part of a string quartet alongside fellow SMI alumna and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a U.S. representative from Iowa. Due to the busy nature of the Congresswoman’s career, there was no time to rehearse as a group before the event. However, the students’ ability to adapt and natural talent ensured that the performance was a success, even without prior practice.
Nguyen described the event as “almost bittersweet, because it was such a unique opportunity” that they were honored to participate. “It was nice to be able to represent our hometown and university,” he said, but that these kinds of opportunities are rare. Nguyen and Greggs are thankful for the community of musicians that they have been able to meet and who recommended they perform.
Greggs intends to apply to graduate programs and post-bachelor fellowships after graduation, aiming to audition for professional orchestras. After completing his final year at VCU during the 2025-26 academic year, Nguyen hopes to attend graduate schools such as the University of Maryland, where he’s already made connections with prominent faculty members through several masterclass opportunities.
Greggs is a student of Susanna Klein and Anna Williams, and Nguyen is a student of Dana McComb.
VCU News also published an article about Arianna and Kevin’s time at the Congressional Record which you can read here.