THE ECHO

By Sunny Smyth // Design Editor

Why did you choose to play the cello?

I chose to play the cello because I wanted to play a very beautiful instrument. One of the things that drew me to the cello was the complexity of right- and left-hand coordination. I also like the deep tones that the cello can reach.

What year do you think was the best for you musically?

Definitely my sophomore year. I matured a lot in tone in my playing. That year I played the Elgar concerto, and that concerto especially helped me to develop my tone and range.

Do you take lessons outside of school?

Yes. My teacher is Dr. Wild. He teaches at the high school, and he’s pretty amazing. He’s helped me with a lot of hard, hard pieces, and he’s an excellent person.

How often do you practice outside of school?

I try to practice at least an hour a day for six days of the week.

What was your favorite piece that you have ever played?

My favorite piece with the orchestra was probably the Mahler adagietto, which I played my freshman year in Symphony. And my favorite piece as a solo player was probably that Elgar concerto, the first movement, which is very good.

Do you have any advice for new musicians here at the high school?

Find what you really love about music and try to do all those things. So, music is definitely not for everybody. It’s very challenging. But if you find motivation by finding maybe a piece you really love or a symphony you adore, find the motivation to practice every day by wanting to play like those players or your favorite soloist.

Do you participate in any outside of school orchestras?

Yes. Last year I played for the all-state orchestra, and this year I plan on playing in the same all-state orchestra, which is a group of essentially the 12 best cellists from the state. I plan to audition for that again this year.

Are you planning on pursuing the cello after high school?

I’m really passionate about physics and math. And so, I really love engineering, and that would probably be my first priority. I have decided that I would like to pursue a double major in engineering and music performance, likely in a five year college track.

What other hobbies do you have outside of playing the cello?

I enjoy everything outdoors. I especially like fishing and backpacking and mountain biking, and I also play other instruments. I taught myself guitar, and I play piano, kind of on the side.

If you could choose a different uniform for the orchestra what would it be?

The men’s attire for the symphony seems a little bland, and I’m usually the one to wear some sort of black tie. I think having maybe a yellow or just plain black tie with the tuxedos would be nice. I think that would help the look. Making it maybe a little bit higher quality, because some of those shirts are quite itchy.

What instrument would you play if you weren’t playing the cello?

The cello. No, I’m just kidding. I really love the French horn and clarinet. When I was deciding on what instrument I wanted to play, I was leaning towards trombone and French horn, so I’d probably have to go with one of those.

Academically, are you taking hard classes outside of Symphony?

Yeah. So, I’m in four AP classes. I’m really passionate about math and physics, and one of my favorite classes is AP Physics. There’s calculus, too, which I find very enjoyable.

What is it like balancing orchestra and your personal life?

You need to find what drives you to do orchestra, and you need to decide what’s right for you, because if you find yourself practicing too much or getting into things too deep, orchestra doesn’t become really a fun thing that you look forward to. You need to find the balance that you like personally, and that comes with experience.  Just work hard and find out what your balance is.