What age did you start playing music?
I grew up in a musical family and started piano lessons with my dad when I was 5. I started playing cello in first grade. My cellist “origin story” is that when I was 3, I attended a Suzuki violin recital and told my parents I wanted to play violin, but beginning cello is far less painful for parents to listen to, so I ended up with that. I later found out that the teacher of the students in that recital in my small hometown in Indiana played cello in the TSO for a year!
When did you know that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
I was able to attend Interlochen Arts Camp when I was a kid and then went to high school there at the Academy. Once I was immersed in orchestra music and surrounded by other students (who practiced way more than I did) I was hooked.
Which concert have you enjoyed performing the most this season and why?
Playing the Schubert cello quintet with Tommy Mesa and my TSO colleagues on an Up Close concert in the fall was definitely a highlight. It was the first time I’d played the whole piece, and there are some great moments with the 2 cello parts together.
Which concert are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season?
It’s hard to pick one, so I’ll pick 2. Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony is a piece I loved when I first started listening to orchestra music as a kid. I’m also really excited for next season’s Messiah performance. Playing continuo is one of my favorite things to do, and Nicholas McGegan, who is conducting, is well known for his expertise in baroque music so I’m looking forward to working with him.
What do you love about the cello in general and your instrument in particular?
The cello parts in the orchestra are versatile – sometimes we get the bass line, and sometimes we have really beautiful melodies, and there are some fantastic orchestra solos. I’m lucky to play on the TSO’s cello that was used by a previous principal cellist, Nelzimar Neves, when she played here. She was my stand partner my first year in the TSO and is a wonderful cellist and human being, so I love playing this instrument knowing she played it too.
As a veteran member of the TSO, what are some of your favorite TSO memories?
In 2016, I had the opportunity to perform Tan Dun’s “Crouching Tiger” concerto on a TSO Classics program. It’s a unique piece that calls for the soloist to use techniques like playing with a guitar pick, and it was really special to collaborate with my colleagues that way.
I’ve especially enjoyed the concerts with Yo-Yo Ma. Last year he let the cello section try out his cello after a rehearsal! I also have too many fun memories to list from playing with the string quartet/quintet and piano trio, both in recitals and for the Music in Schools programs. The veteran members of the TSO ensembles welcomed me into the groups when I was a newer member of the orchestra, and Paula Fan always found the best restaurants wherever we went with the piano trio!
What do you love about Tucson?
Definitely the desert and mountains. There are so many great places for hiking and running, and I love going to Sabino Canyon if I have a free morning.