Welcome to the Viola Section!

Hi! I’m Elizabeth, a violist, currently studying at Shenandoah Conservatory, and I’m fascinated by the process of practicing and the way we learn. I want to combine these interests and share my practice techniques, musical ideas, and my love of the viola to others!

First, a little about me –

My musical journey dates back to some of my first memories of listening to classical music and asking my parents, “Can I play the violin?”. After asking many, many times, my mom offered to start giving me piano lessons. She told me, as a piano teacher, that learning a bit of piano first would prove useful once I began playing the violin. I agreed, and at the age of five I had my first piano lesson. I absolutely loved playing, but still I yearned to play the violin.

When I was eight years old, my elementary school had an assembly featuring a small youth strings program. They played part of a Brandenburg concerto and I knew that my time to start learning the violin had come. As soon as I got home I told my mom all about the concert, about how I recognized the Brandenburg concerto from the CDs we listened to in the car, and about how badly I still wanted to play the violin. After only a little bit of begging, she made a phone call and set up my first lesson with the director of the strings program I had seen perform earlier that day.

I vividly remember my first violin lesson, about a week after seeing that concert. I learned how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star out of the first Suzuki book, and I was taught a new rhythm, “Mississippi hot dog” to go along with it. I was so thrilled the entire lesson… except the moment I was told I was gripping the violin wrong (“We hold it underhand, not overhand!”) and that I needed to twist my arm to hold it up. The bow felt unnatural in my hand–the first stroke I played was wispy and the second stroke sounded like a harsh choke–but I got it somewhat figured out towards the end of the lesson. As soon as we got home, I unpacked the violin I was loaned and began to play. The only thing that could separate me from it was my mom setting dinner on the table–all that playing really worked up an appetite!

My violin and I were best friends for a couple years. I played most of the Brandenburg concertos and a lot of fiddle music with the youth strings group, and I loved every second of it. I would play for anyone who would listen  – my parents, grandparents, friends. Then a few months before I turned eleven, my life changed. I heard an older friend, a senior in high school, play her viola at a concert and I really listened for the first time. I fell in love with the deep, rich sound and as soon as we got home, I asked my mom if I could start learning the viola. To my surprise, she said yes immediately, and I borrowed a viola from my violin teacher the next day. I got home from school and taught myself alto clef in a matter of minutes and devoured the first Essential Elements book. A few weeks later I began taking lessons from my friend and the rest was history. I quickly surpassed the level I had played the violin at and began playing in a junior symphony orchestra when I turned thirteen.

When I started high school I moved up to the youth orchestra, and when I was a junior, I became the principal violist! I was terrified, but I had so much fun. I won the annual concerto competition my senior year and had the life-changing experience of playing solo with the orchestra! Some of my favorite musical memories were made in youth orchestra, and my time there made me want to play in a professional orchestra. I also did marching band and choir in high school, and I kept playing the piano.

I auditioned at a few schools and got into my top choice, Shenandoah Conservatory. I’m a senior now, and I should be looking at grad schools as we speak. My time here at school–spending hours in lessons and studio class–has opened my eyes to the different ways we learn and practice, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts and experiences with you!

If you’d like to hear me play, click here! And check out my professional website if you’re interested!