I joined the NYYS Chamber Music Program in 2013 and the orchestra in 2014. Participating in these programs has helped me make great progress as a musician and I consider myself lucky to have found a community of people who are so welcoming and passionate about music.

Some of my favorite experiences as part of the orchestra program have been participating in the outreach opportunities that are available to us. I have been able to take part in a side-by-side with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s as well as multiple workshops with Kipp Academy. It is very rewarding to have the chance to share all of the wonderful things that NYYS has taught me about playing with others.

The chamber program is incredibly important to me because it has taught me so much about the importance of communication in music and showed me the connection that can be created between people who work on and perform pieces together. Not only have I had the chance to develop my musicianship, I have met people that I know I will continue to play music with for years to come. My favorite experience as part of the CMP was the chance to play the commissioned piece for the program during the 2016-2017 season. My group got to meet and work with the composer in person. I was nervous going into the project because contemporary music hasn’t always resonated with me but I was happy to have an opportunity to become more accustomed to working with unfamiliar sounds and notations. It was an incredibly rewarding experience. Hearing the composer’s ideas about his work helped us think about and play the piece on a level that we never could have achieved without his insights. We felt very satisfied with our performance at the end of the season, especially because we premiered the piece and were able to introduce it to the world.

As an orchestra member, I was sad to hear that we would no longer be working with Joshua Gersen, a fantastic conductor that I had the pleasure of playing under for two years, but I couldn’t be happier with the new orchestra director. I have really enjoyed working under Maestro Repper. His enthusiasm and love for the music makes our rehearsals engaging and meaningful. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the season after an amazing first concert together.

Being a part of NYYS has given me a chance to become immersed in the world of music and it is something that I hope to pursue for the rest of my life. I am incredibly grateful for all of the experiences that I have had as part of these NYYS programs.