Instrument: Violin

Hometown: Faribault, Minn.

Piece: Jean Sibelius — Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47, I. Allegro moderato

What are your goals as a musician/performer/group?

My goal is to become a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. From a very young age I was exposed to so much classical music in my house. My parents are both organists who play a lot of Bach. My older brother, however, is obsessed with the music of Richard Wagner. He was always playing the operas in the living room, especially the Ring Cycle. Though it was annoying at first I eventually grew to love the unique stories and musical leitmotivs. One of my favorite memories is sitting in the living room with my brother as he watched the live broadcast of Das Rheingold from the Metropolitan Opera. Eventually my love expanded to Verdi and Puccini as well. One of my favorite movies is "A Room With a View" which features the music of Puccini. Although I will always love Brahms and Beethoven and all the solo music for my instrument, Wagner and opera will hold a special place in my heart and I'd love to be a part of the forces which produce it. My time in MYS and GTCYS has also taught me how much fun it is to be part of an ensemble. I hope to attend school at Juilliard, Colburn, Oberlin, or Rice which all feature fantastic orchestra programs. With training and lots of practice I hope to achieve my dream!