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Violins

My Music Journey

I started learning the violin when I was 4 years old. My teachers included Mrs. Maelynn Arnold (Suzuki method), Mrs. Leah Bartell, and Mrs. Barbara Oren. I am currently a member of the Junior Repertory Orchestra at New England Conservatory. In the past, I’ve attended the Rivers School Conservatory’s two-week summer program and the 2025 Northeastern Junior Districts Festival.

JRO at NEC Prep School (2025-present)

Junior Repertory Orchestra (JRO) is open to intermediate pre-college string players, woodwind, and brass. JRO is the entry-level full-orchestra ensemble for NEC Prep. To be placed in JRO, students generally play with fluidity, have a developed vibrato, and are comfortable playing three-octave scales and arpeggios. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of JRO are in grades 7-10.​


I am a first violinist in JRO. I am the third chair, which is the seat behind the concertmaster. For our first concert, we are rehearsing the first and third movements of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1” and Rossini’s “L’italiana in Algeri: Overture”. Our conductor is Adam Grossman.

SRO at NEC Prep School (2024-2025)

String Repertory Orchestra (SRO) is open by audition to intermediate string students. Students placed in SRO play with fluency and clarity and are comfortable playing three-octave scales. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of SRO are in grades 7-10.


I was a first violinist in the String Repertory Orchestra (SRO) at New England Conservatory (NEC) from September 2024 to June 2025. Our Music Director was Cynthia Woods.​

 

Performances:

  • NEC Prep SRO Concert, May 2025, in Jordan Hall

    • Glenn Naftchi, Train to the City

    • Antonín Dvořák, String Quartet No. 12, Op. 96, Mvt 4

  • ​NEC Prep SRO Concert, March 2025, in Jordan Hall

    • ​​Saint-Georges, Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Mvt. 1

    • Tchaikovsky, Serenade for String Orchestra, Mvt. 1

  • NEC Prep SRO Concert, March 2025, in Jordan Hall

  • ​Haydn, String Quartet Op. 76 No. 1 in G Major, Mvts I & IV

 

Junior District Festival (2025)

I successfully auditioned and was admitted to the 2025 Northeastern Junior District Festival as a second violinist. ​

  • Audition:

    • "Sicilienne and Rigaudon" by Fritz Kreisler. 

  • Concert in the auditorium at Gavin Middle School in Wakefield, MA on March 15th, 2025

    • ​L'Arlésienne by George Bizet​

    • Nabucco: Overture by Verdi

 

Lexington Chamber Music Center (2024)

I played with the Lexington Chamber Music Center in 2024, where I was a part of a string quartet.

 

We had many outreach performances in local senior centers under the leadership of Randy Hiller and Paola Caballero.

 

GMPO and GMCO (2019-2025)

Mrs. Leah Bartell is the music director at the Waldorf School of Lexington, MA. She is the founder and music director of Great Meadows Youth Orchestras, which includes the Great Meadows Preparatory Orchestra and the Great Meadows Chamber Orchestra. She also rehearses and performs with the Lexington Symphony Orchestra. 

 

I started in GMPO in September 2019 and moved up to GMCO in 2022. We continued having online and outdoors rehearsals during Covid-19 and performed twice a year.

Summer Camp at Rivers School Conservatory (2022, 2023)

After Covid, I attended the two-week summer program at Rivers School Conservatory in 2022 and 2023. Each day, I had lessons in music theory, private lessons with a teacher, time for individual practice, rehearsals with a small chamber music group, performance classes, and rehearsals with a large orchestra ensemble. The program helped to vastly improve my technique and musicality, and I made some great friends while there.

Russian Music Competition (2019)

​I participated in the Russian Music Competition with "Berceuse" by Mikhail Antsev and won second place. I performed at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, on December 7, 2019.

My first-ever recital (March 27th, 2017)

Of the many recitals over the years, I especially cherish this one. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I look forward to performing better and better in many more recitals and performances in the future.

A long long time ago ... (September 2016)

I met Mrs. Arnold MaeLynn in the summer of 2016 during an open house event at Winchester Community Music School, and started taking Suzuki lessons with her. I liked to call her Ms. MaeLynn. Even though she is no longer my teacher, I will always have fond memories of the time we spent together and the "Rocket Song"..."Up like a rocket, down like a rain..." 

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