Performing Arts

 
 

Playing the Cello

I started playing the cello in 3rd grade and since then have expanded my musical interest from strictly classical to pop, rock, metal, and punk after picking up the bass guitar. I played in the Torrey Pines Orchestra in my freshman year and moved up to section leader of the Chamber orchestra for my sophomore year, where I will finish my senior year as well. While I love playing all things classical, I’ve recently branched off into other experimental music, such as this summer when I auditioned for and was accepted into the Hausmann Quartet. Myself and three other musicians attended masterclasses and lectures where we studied the modern Beninese-French composer, Angelique Kidjo, as we prepared to perform her work Yanyankliyan Semanido. This experience broadened my horizons as a musician as the cello served as both the bass and percussion in the arrangement. We worked with polyrhythms and traditional Beninese styles that were completely foreign to me. I enjoyed stepping out of my comfort zone and being challenged by both the professors and my fellow musicians.

Expanding My Horizons

I was in a pop-rock band this past year called Black Sweater where I, and the principal violinist of our orchestra, worked with the lead singer, Sam Sheffield, to incorporate the cello and violin into his original songs, written and recorded by him and his brother. I got to experiment with different techniques because there were no rules, unlike my classical training. I got to have fun and make things up on the spot. Seeing the instrument I had been playing for nine years in a different light was such an enlightening experience. It wove through vocals and electric guitar solos rather than strictly accompanying other stringed instruments. This experience sparked an interest in playing in bands and expanding my repertoire to play a variety of music.  

Recently, I’ve taken up the bass guitar to play rock, metal, and punk music. I’m working on songs by the Dead Kennedys and Meat Wave as well as classics like Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith. One of my aspirations is to join a band in college and be able to play either bass or cello (or both!). 

 
 

Staying True to My Classical Roots

This past year I auditioned for the San Diego Youth Symphony and was accepted, so I will be starting rehearsal this fall. It will serve to advance my classical training and keep me up to date with technical pieces and classic concertos as I continue to branch off into other genres in my free time. I look forward to working with other classical music students and learning from the instructors. 

I feel as though I’m creating diversity in my repertoire by branching off from classical music to play a variety of styles from around the world, whether it be music from Benin, France, or San Francisco with the Dead Kennedys. I strive to find new pieces to play all the time and to carry music with me throughout my life. 

 

Guess What?

I’m Not Just a Musician

Another huge part of my performing arts life has been ballet. I spent 13 years being trained in the Vaganova method, a rigorous Russian ballet style, by renowned Russian dancers Valeri and Tatiana Tchekachev. Although I stopped dancing recently, it has shaped my artistic expression and the way I see the world as I spent all of my formative years in a ballet studio. I learned to put everything I had into an art form and that sacrifice is necessary to achieve difficult goals.