>> CAN HE MAKE THE HARIP?
THE RECENT GRAD LOVES SHOWING OFF THE VERSATILITY OF HIS INSTRUMENT.
>> YOU CAN MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A BASE.
♪ KIND OF LIKE A SPANISH GUITAR.
♪ YOU CAN MAKE IT SOUND LIKE BELLS.
♪ ALLOWING THE HARP TO FIT MANY STYLES OF MUSIC.
THERE IS WEDDING MUSIC.
♪ THERE IS CELTIC MUSIC.
♪ >> AND THERE IS BOSSA NOVA.
♪ THE RICHMOND, VIRGINIA NATIVE FIRST PLUCKED OF THE STRINGS AT THE URGING OF HIS FOURTH GRADE MUSIC TEACHER.
>> ONE DAY SHE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID YOU REALLY NEED TO PLAY THE HARP.
I TOOK A TRIAL LESSON AND REALLY LOVED IT.
HIS LOVE FOR THE INSTRUMENT GROUP WHEN HE TOOK A CHANCE LESSON WIT T BSO PRINCIPAL HARPIST, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO HOLD THAT ROLE.
>> SHE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS INSTITUTE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A HGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA CAMP.
I WENT THERE THIS SUMMER AFTER EIGHTH GRADE.
I JUST LOVED IT AND FELL IN LOVE WITH CLASSICAL MUSIC.
♪ HE ENROLLED IN THE PRESTIGIOUS BOARDING SCHOOL IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN, WHERE HE MADE ANOTHER CONNECTION.
♪ >> HIS TEACHER THERE H ALSO TAUGHT THE CURRENT BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRINCIPAL HARPIST.
>> I HEARD OF CHARLES FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.
I REMEMBER HIM BEING EXTREMELY TALENTED.
HE HAD A BEAUTIFUL SOUND THAT WAS UNIQUE.
>> THE PATHS CROSS AGAIN WHEN HE ATTENDED BERKELEY.
ASKED HER TO GIVE HIM LESSONS.
HE WANTED A CHANCE TO PERFORM AT THE BSO.
>> I THOUGHT ONCE A MONTH OR TWICE A MONTH, BUT HE ENDED UP COMING WEEKLY LESSONS.
♪ >> BUT TO CHARLES THERE IS MUCH MORE TO HA THAN CLASSICAL MUSIC.
I AM HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH AMAZING ORCHESTRAS.
A LOT OF WHAT YOU DO IN A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS WAIT A LOT.
♪ WHICH IS WHY HE HAS CONTINUED TO WRITE HIS OWN MUSIC AND PLAY AT VENUES LARGE AND SMALL, LIKE THIS RECENT APPEARANCE AT OUTPOST 186 IN CAMBRIDGE.
HIS QUART RELEASED ITS FIRST ALBUM IN 2017.
♪ WITH THE WORLD OF HARPIST PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE, CHARLES STANDS OUT FOR HIS GENDER AND RACE, BUT JESSICA SAYS HIS SOUND IS UNIVERSAL.
>> THE MORE HIS CAREER HAS BLOSSOMED, IT IS BECOMING A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.
HE WAS REALLY GOOD.
FOR NOW CHARLES IS HAPPY TO KEEP HIS OPTIONS OPEN AND SAYS DON’T THINK OF HIM AS A HARPIST.
HE WOULD RATHER BE SEEN AS A MUSICIAN.
I AM SUPER BLESSED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM WITH THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, BOSTON POPS, ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE COME MY WAY AND I CAN’T
BELIEVE IT.
I AM LIVING MY DREAM.
IT IS JUST SUPER EXCITING.
♪ [APPLAUSE] ♪ >> IF YOU ARE AT THE LITTLE BIG DINER, CHANCES ARE YOU ARE DIALED INTO THAT DELECTABLE BOWL
OF ROMAN IN FRONT OF YOU.
LOOK UP A MINUTE AND PEEK AT THE HEAD CHEF’S KITCHEN.
SEE THAT LINE COOK FOCUSED ON CREATING THE PERFECT PRICE GOAL?
THIS HE LOOK A LITTLE YOUNG?
BOBBY STILL IS IN HI SCHOOL, BUT HE HAS WORKED AT SOME OF THE AREA’S BEST-KNOWN RESTAURANT SINCE HE WAS A PRETEEN.
I PESTERED THE OWNER OF A RESTAURANT IN CAMBRIDGE FOR A WEEK 40 TALK TO ME.
WHEN HE DID, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY AND RAN WITH IT.
THE STORY GOES A 12-YEAR-OLD BOBBY AND HIS GRANDMOTHER WERE DINING AT A RESTAURANT WHEN BOBBY BECAME FASCINATED BY THE ACTION IN THE KITCHEN.
>> WE HAVE THE SEATS CALL THE RINGSIDE SEATS.
HE WAS SITTING THERE AND LOOKING AT US IN AN INQUISITIVE WAY THAT WA DIFFERENT THAN WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO.
>> THEY THOUGHT HIS INTEREST WAS FLEETING, BUT YOUNG LOBBY WAS PERSISTE, EVEN WRITING A LETTER SAY AND HE WANTED TO LEARN THE ROPES.
>> I CALL RESTAURANT EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR A WEEK.
HE EVENTUALLY CALL ME BACK.
THERE WAS A LEVEL OF SINCERITY A GENUINENESS AND THE WAY HE WAS APPROACHING FOOD.
IT WAS HEARTWARMING.
THE CHEF CHATTED WITH BOBBY’S PARENTS AND SAYING HE WAS GOING TO TAKE THE APPRENTICESHIP SERIOUSLY IF EVERYONE ELSE WITH.
IF HER GOING TO TEACH HIM HOW TO BE AN PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN, LET’S DO IT RIGHT.
HE REMAINED INCREDIBLY COMMITTED FOR ALL THOSE YEARS.
>> MY FIRST JOB WAS CLEANING HERBS IN THE BASEMENT, THEN I WAS A LINE COOK.
>> BOBBY BELIEVES AT THO YEARS AT THOSE RESTAURANTS CHANGED HIS LIFE.
>> I AM REALLY HUMBLED BY HOW MUCH OF A RISK HE TOOK HAVING ME IN THE KITCHEN.
I WAS YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED, BUT HE SAW SOMETHING IN ME.
>> BOBBY’S REPUTATION GREW, LEAVING THE DINER TO PURSUE HIM.
HE HAD SUCH GREAT ENERGY AND WAS SUCH A GREAT PERSON THAT I REALLY WANTED HIM TO BRING THAT ENERGY AND BE A PART OF THE TEAM HERE.
BOBBY’S PARENTS ON HIS TALENT AT AN EARLY AGE.
>> HE MAD HIS OWN LUNCH, ON BREAKFAST, GOING BACK TO PRESCHOOL AGE.
EVENTUALLY HE MADE THANKSGIVING DINNER AND DECIDED HE WANTED TO WORK AT A RESTAURANT.
THE BEST THING ABOUT HAVING A KID WHO CAN COOK GOURMET MEALS.
>> WE HAD SOME OF THE BEST DINNERS ON THE PLANET AT HOME BUT WHEN HE FEELS IN THE MOOD TO COOK FOR US.
HIS NEXT STEP IS COLLEGE FOR A BUSINESS-CENTERED PROGRAM THAT INCORPORATES HOSPITALITY SO THAT HE CAN EVENTUALLY OPEN HIS OWN EATERY, PERHAPS SERVING SOUTHEAST ASIAN CUISINE.
I AND PART CHINESE, SO I HAVE HAD A FASCINATION WITH ASIAN COOKING, SALTY, SOUR, SWEET FLAVOR COMBINATION.
THIS EMPLOYER’S BOBBY HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT BIG, EVEN IF HIS FUTURE RESTAURANT MIGHT COMPETE WITH THEIRS.
>> FOR HIM, THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.
HE HAS THE POSSIBILITY TO RUN WITH THIS.
>> I THINK BOBBY CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO.
HE HAS A GREAT FUTURE.
>> WE TASTED SOME OF BOBBY’S COOKING AND CAN REPORT IT IS DIVINE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, BOBBY, I THINK YOU HAVE A FUTURE.
I THINK YOU WILL BE JUST FINE, JUST FINE.
♪ >> NEXT.
WE ENGINEER MICROORGANISMS TO DO STUFF.
>> STUFF YOU WON’T BELIEVE.