WASHINGTON -- When first lady Michelle Obama attended a performance by students at CAPA Pittsburgh along with other G-20 spouses in September, the percussion work of Jason Yoder stood out.

"Jason blew me away in Pittsburgh," Mrs. Obama said yesterday just before Jason, 16, of Squirrel Hill, performed for her once again as part of the White House Music Series.

"So much so that when we organized this, I said, 'Get Jason.' And Jason is here. Yay for Jason."

Jason, on the marimba, and 8-year-old Sujari Britt, on cello, were the two young performers to take part in the concert yesterday, playing separate duets with cellist Alisa Weilerstein.

Also performing were violinist Joshua Bell, classical guitarist Sharon Isbin and pianist Awadagin Pratt. But Jason, a junior at CAPA, is used to this kind of company. At the G-20 spouses event, he performed with legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

"It was great just to collaborate with other great musicians," Jason said.

"[It's intimidating] in a way, but it's also just encouraging that I'm already playing in a concert with them. It's just a good feeling. And I get to meet them and talk to them."

The White House asked him to play Camille Saint-Saens' "The Swan," the same piece he performed for Mrs. Obama the first time. He said he and Ms. Weilerstein had less than half an hour to practice, but the performance was flawless.

Wielding two mallets in each hand, Jason was a picture of concentration as he played for a rapt audience in front of a painting of George Washington and below a massive chandelier in the stately East Room of the White House.

After they finished, he peeked at Ms. Weilerstein through his mop of shaggy brown hair and grinned before the pair shared a bow. They received a standing ovation from the crowd, composed mostly of 120 middle school and high school musicians who participated in an earlier workshop with the professionals.

Yesterday's event was the fourth installment of the White House Music Series, which Mrs. Obama launched in June. Prior events involved performances and workshops from jazz, country and Latin musicians.

Jason's mother, Esther, and 12-year-old sister, April, joined him on the trip to Washington, and Esther was amazed at the amount of activity going on in the president's home.

It's the way the first lady likes it.

"I love events like this because this is what the White House is all about -- it's the People's House," Mrs. Obama said.

"It's a place that's steeped in history. ... But also it's a place where we like to start new traditions and to bring people together in different ways.

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