Playing The Viola Narrative

The reason for my interest in the violin has to do with my eldest sister, who played the violin during middle school. I faintly remember my sister being doubtful whether to join the mariachi or band, and my mom convinced her of joining the mariachi and playing the violin. I looked up to her because she

Like almost every other 3rd grader in my elementary school, when the enrichment program came to talk about joining the orchestra and band, I was fascinated. I admired the kids, not much older than me, who could play their instruments flawlessly and effortlessly. Immediately I knew that orchestra was for me, and I rushed home with a paper in hand begging my mom to let me take lessons at my school. Originally, I wanted to play the cello and pleaded with my mom to let me play one; I loved the deep, rich sounds of the strings. Instead, my mom convinced me to play the violin, a less expensive instrument and much easier to carry around than a cello.

When I was in fifth grade, I was caught between two worlds, playing a woodwind or string instrument. If I played a woodwind instrument I would have to blow in it to make music, but string instruments are played with a bow to make music. After much thought, I decided that the violin was the best instrument for me, because it has a beautiful, unique sound, plus the possibilities are never-ending. I could receive a compliment from a teacher, or even get accepted to the symphony.

The first class I took part in was weaving and fibers, and similar to that of playing an instrument, art influenced my life. Weaving and fibers opened up a whole new world I had never experienced; my grandfather built me my own loom, and my whole family became interested in my art projects. After taking my first art class I chose to participate in many more: arts & crafts (twice), ceramics, and stained glass. Art opened up many opportunities for me both socially and intellectually. I participated in art competitions including the contest for the Erie Times News 100th year anniversary (my school placed second) and the Vans Custom Culture contest. I collaborated and built friendships with diverse groups of individuals, worked on group projects (such as stained glass windows), and a plethora of independent study projects (macrame hangings, dream catcher’s, gnome houses…). Through the arts both musical and visual I experienced unimaginable opportunities and experiences that allowed both self-expression and

I started off playing the synthesizer for the middle school jazz band and eventually progressed to the electric bassist by high school. I began performing as the only bass soloist in the region of 2-A bands that performed at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX.

I started playing the flute and loved it. I have been in the marching band all four years of high school. I have always been the cheerleader out on the field marching. It is a lot of work to balance both band and cheer. A lot of practices after school between the two, but I didn’t want to give up either. As a freshman I learned to play the saxophone and joined jazz band at school. Sophomore year I learned the piccolo. This year I was awarded Most Outstanding Leadership and also, Most Outstanding Musician for band. I was very

Music has long been my biggest passion. As a child, it was always around me: Beethoven sonatas and Chopin concerti would fill my house, so much so that I begged my parents to start me on piano. I began the piano at five, but as I grew older, I discovered the beauty of chamber music and the allure of playing in an orchestra, compelling me to start on the clarinet.

Another recent passion and extracurricular that I discovered last year was ceramics. Whenever I create a piece, I strive to make it unique and push the boundaries of my imagination, making bowls or miniature palaces that

I began the violin when I was 6, on a whim when my mom discovered a violin for sale. My mom bought me the ¼ sized violin and quickly signed me up for lessons. Fast forward one year, and I would be going to my very first orchestra. This orchestra was a place that took in kids that had no experience in being in orchestras, and taught

I have loved film for as long as I can remember and starting in 6th grade I took film production classes and all through high school as well. I have also taken many production classes at my current university and also history of film classes. I have learned so much about the industry and classic and current film directors and their films. This past semester I took a film directors class and was very inspired by the works of Alfred Hitchcock and the Coen brothers. When I return to school in the fall I will be taking senior seminar and I will be completing a short film. This summer I am taking three classes to earn more

I’m from the screech of a bow sliding across a bridge as I attempted to play viola. Every few notes, I would lose control; the horse hair slipped across the wood holding the strings in place. The clichéd screech of a beginner violinist rang throughout the house. Nonetheless, I kept trying, much to the dismay of my family’s ears. By fifth grade, I was finally able to create a decently in tune sound. I sat at the first stand that year.

You will realize that both can produce outstanding results. However, film cameras produces a little higher quality and tends to have greater longevity. It might cost you more money but you will end up with a good quality.

It is believed that the Italian luthier Andrea Amati created the viola family in the year 1555, but bowed, stringed instruments were invented long before that. The viola is an instrument that has evolved over time. There are records of stringed instruments existing in Europe in the Middle Ages and may have originated in Central Asia (www.get-tuned.com/history-of-the-viola.php).

When I look back on the projects we did in Ceramics the Sgraffito tile was the most challenging, I had different sized circles that weren’t easy to finish. The most interesting project in Ceramics was the mask, your

Not a lot of people believed that it could actually happen, but they didn’t believe that the oboe could actually count as a section but we changed that too. There we were. It was time for the solo audition. There were two flutes and the two oboes auditioning. The solo didn’t sound right when the flutes played it. It sounded too light and soft when it should have been deeper and more stability. This was it. This was my time to show everyone what I’ve been working on since we got the new music. I played to the best of my abilities when it was my turn to play. Both of the oboe players had to play the solo for a second time to truly see who should get it.