Grade: 11

Beginning: “I started playing cello in seventh grade. I had previously played violin, since fourth grade, but then I switched in seventh. I was ready for a change. The violin is high and squeaky and the cello is a luscious sound.”

Accomplishments: “I made All State chair last  year and this year I got fourth chair. All State is an All State Orchestra and we audition for chairs once we get there. It’s basically how prepared you are with the music and how good of a player you are and your ranking, overall, in the state.”

Favorite Aspect: “I think my favorite part is being able to connect with different people who play instruments and being in orchestra and connecting with people through music.”

Future: “I want to do music in college, but not with the cello. I want to do music education, so that’s not necessarily specializing in cello. I definitely still want to play, but maybe in an orchestra, not as a performance major.”

Featured Artist: Addie Hotchkiss

Grade: 12

Tools: Violin, bow, rosin- “tree sap molded into a shape that you rub on the bow to produce sounds”- and music stand.

Began: Fourth grade. They offered it in elementary school and I thought it would be fun to try. I ended up really liking it.

Best Part: The final product. You know, after you’ve practiced for weeks and weeks or months, even; it’s really rewarding. Every time orchestra finishes a concert and we know we’ve worked hard and played well, we all have big smiles on our faces and it’s really special.

Inspiration: Usually I hear a really cool piece or someone mentions a piece that they really enjoy and that drives me to practice more and work harder. Also, hearing everyone play and come together in a big group is really rewarding.

Advice: At first, it’s really boring. You start out by just plucking strings and being bored. There are all the repetitious exercises, scales, arpeggios. Even working on one little part over and over again is frustrating and annoying, but it eventually pays off. It’s important to stick with it because you learn so much and learn to play some really beautiful music.

Vocalise by Sergei Rachmaninoff

The SM East Symphonic Orchestra performed at the District Orchestra Festival last Wednesday, March 28, along with the other top orchestras in the district.  Among the songs they performed were “Die Meistersingers” and “Russian Sailors Dance.”

Audio provided by Mr. Jonathan Lane.

Grade: 11

Instrument: Viola

Group: Juliet Quartet

Training: School Orchestra, Stringendo

Current Piece: JS Bach’s Cello Suite iii

Thanks to Mr. Mueller for filming and recording the concert.

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Photos by Nathan Simpson