Teen Flute Prodigy From Bloomfield Inspired By Teachers, Encouraged By ‘Faith’

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. How do you get into Juilliard? If you ask 14-year-old flute prodigy Chideha Osondu of Bloomfield, good teachers have a lot to do with it.

Having “faith” is also important, she adds.

Osondu was recently accepted into The Juilliard School’s tuition-free Music Advancement Program (MAP). The highly competitive process includes a months-long application, audition and interview – resulting in only about 30 new students this round.

Soon, the talented flute player will get a chance to learn from the experts at Juilliard and perform concerts alongside some of the best young musicians in the Tri-State Area.

The kicker? She’s only been playing the flute for about five years, according to an article first published on Jersey Catholic.

When she first picked up the instrument in elementary school, Osondu – a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Bloomfield – wanted to ramp up the pace of her lessons. Eventually, she sought advice from the church’s music director, Patricio Molina.

After listening to her play, Molina suggested that she apply to the Newark School of the Arts, where he served as the conservatory director.

She was accepted on a full scholarship.

It didn’t take long for Osondu to begin thriving. She went from playing broken scales to mastering advanced-level compositions, stunning Molina with her prowess.

“It’s very unusual to see that much improvement in such a short period,” he told Jersey Catholic. “I would definitely say she’s a prodigy.”

Osondu credits her teachers at Newark School of the Arts for her rapid progress. She also thanks the community at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, where she performs regularly at concerts, volunteers as an altar server and rolls up her sleeves in the soup kitchen.

“Faith has always played such a major role in my life and in my music,” the young musician said.

Osondu plans to become a professional musician or a doctor – and also wants to keep giving back to the world with her gift of song.

“It’s important that I share my talent because music can be very therapeutic, especially for people who are struggling,” she said. “I recently performed at a Mass for parents who had lost their children, and it brought people to tears. I was really glad I could help them release that emotion.”

Read more about Osondu’s musical journey here.

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