Senior Spotlight: Emily Elkins, percussion

What AYPO ensembles have you played in and for how long?

I have played in both the AYP and Percussion Ensemble for three years.

Your advice for young musicians?

The advice I would give to young musicians is (i) to be as prepared as you can be because you never know for sure what will happen during your rehearsals and concerts, and (ii) always pay close attention to your parts as you read through the music because that will give you a strong sense of what you want to express for that piece when you perform.

What college/university do you plan on attending this fall?

I will be attending Virginia Tech this Fall; Computer Science and Music, dual-major

A favorite, or memorable AYPO experience?

My most memorable AYPO experience was playing the timpani part in Nielsen's Symphony No. 4: The Inextinguishable my junior year along with AYPO alumna Cherri Chen (who is currently studying percussion at the Frost School of Music). It was an extremely challenging part that took a lot of practice to master, but it was well worth it because Cherri and I had the experience of a lifetime playing that piece, and that concert turned out to be the performance highlight of my time with AYP.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

After high school I hope to continue my education, perhaps as far as a graduate degree. I want to prepare for a career that combines technology and music, whether I am a performer with technology skills or a technologist with a background in music. I also want to perform in various music ensembles, whether as part of an orchestra or wind symphony, or on the field with Virginia Tech’s Marching Virginians.

What musician, conductor, or orchestra inspires you and why?

The musician who inspires me the most is my percussion instructor Doug Wallace because I have learned so much from him as an instructor, from my days in Vienna Band Camp through high school and as part of AYPO. He taught me where my strengths are and always gives me good advice about what I should aim for whenever I am performing my auditions, concerts, chair tests, or anything like that. He is the reason why I am the musician that I am today, and I honestly could not have accomplished what I have in music without his mentorship.