FIVE YOUTHS WIN SYMPHONY ACCLAIM.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

MOORPARK - Tiffany Chen began her piano-playing career at age 6 with simple three-note songs and now spends at least five hours a day practicing in hope of becoming a composer.

At 11, the Moorpark girl is the youngest of five musicians recently chosen as next year's Discovery Artists to perform with the New West Symphony in concerts at the Kavli Theater at the Thousand Oaks Civic Plaza and at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.

``It's like a job, but a really fun job,'' said Tiffany, who also plays the violin and the oboe. ``If there's a competition coming up, I really concentrate and work hard, but the most important thing is just to sit down and enjoy the music.''

The other young musicians, chosen from 35 who auditioned from Ventura County and the northern San Fernando Valley, are cellist Andrew Janss, 16, of Thousand Oaks; Justin Messina, 19, of Ventura, a pianist and composer; Katrina Celest Bobbs, 12, of Granada Hills, a violinist, and Sara Jean Ford, 19, of Thousand Oaks, a soprano.

The former Ventura County Symphony began the program in 1974 to recognize and showcase young local talent. When the New West Symphony was formed in 1995, Discovery Artists began reaching more than 3,000 people annually through the two performance centers.

``The communities and the region have an opportunity to discover the great resources of talent in our area,'' said Boris Brott, conductor of the New West Symphony, who will work with the Discovery Artists.

``For the young contemporaries in the audience, it is a thrill to see people your own age achieving very high standards of accomplishment. It is an inspiration to see what can be accomplished with talent, dedication and effort.''

Participation gives the young musicians a chance to perform with professionals and is often seen as part of the route from raw talent to center stage.

Ford, a Moorpark College student, hopes it will help her in her goal to get to Broadway.

``It will be challenging working with Boris Brott,'' she said. ``I need someone to push me hard, and I know that he'll demand only perfection from me. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I can't have anyone hold my hand anymore. I have to go full force.''

Ford's musical talent has already won her work doing background vocals for movies and television shows, including ``Picket Fences,'' ``Anamaniacs'' and ``Adams Family Values.'' She also has sung background vocals with Michael Jackson, Motley Crue and Harry Connick Jr.

She just completed a stint in the role of Sandy in the Young Artists Ensemble's 20th annual summer musical, ``Grease,'' and she is rehearsing for the fall production of ``Crimes of the Heart'' at Moorpark College.

She grew up listening to her grandparents sing in barbershop quartets, and she sang in various youth choirs. Now majoring in music theater at Moorpark College, she plans to transfer to Cargenie Mellon University in Pittsburg, the Boston Conservatory or New York University.

``Songs are beautiful and poetic, and music takes me away,'' Ford said. ``And I've found if there's something you can't say through words, you can often say it through music.''

The 2001 Discovery Artists concerts will be on Jan. 19 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center and on Jan. 20 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Kavli Theater. For more information call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) Tiffany Chen, youngest of five musicians named Discovery Artists for the New West Symphony, practices on her piano.

(2) Conductor Boris Brott, second from left, will coach young soloists, from left, Katrina Bobbs, Sara Ford, Justin Messina, Tiffany Chen and Andrew Janss as symphony guest artists.

Lilly Barrett/Special to the Daily News