“I started playing piano when I was three. I watched my brother play it, so I wanted to learn it. I started violin when I was seven; I don’t remember why I wanted to start playing it, but I did. I picked up the clarinet because my brother was playing clarinet, too. Also, when I joined band, I was told I wouldn’t be good at percussion, so my brother encouraged me to join the clarinet section. I play violin for the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony. Because of Youth Symphony, I got to go to Europe two summers ago. We traveled to the Czech Republic and performed in Prague. We played our pieces at all of these chapels. It was really cool. They had really good food there, too. The buildings were really pretty. It’s definitely somewhere I’d go again to go sightseeing; it’s a really welcoming place.”

(Senior)