Senior Spotlight: Rae Trainer, Violin
Miranda Martin Southwood
What AYPO ensembles have you played in and for how long?
AYDO, one season
AYSE, two seasons
AYCO, one season
AYSO, two seasons
AYP, one season
Your advice for young musicians?
The classical music world tends to be competitive. It's easy to get caught up in who's playing the most difficult repertoire or who can play the fastest, especially when audition season rolls around. In the end, though, playing fast is not as important as playing well, and we play best when we enjoy what we're playing. Pick repertoire you love! Play with feeling! Have some fun with your music!
What college/university do you plan on attending this fall?
Harvard University
A favorite, or memorable AYPO experience?
Way back in AYSE, we played a suite from Star Wars. We wound actual fairy lights around our bows so they would look like lightsabers when we turned them on. My bow almost broke when we wound the lights, but it was all worth it the moment the auditorium plunged into darkness and seventy lightsaber bows flickered to life. It was the most fun I've ever had at a concert.
What do you hope to do after graduation or your more long-term goals?
I don't know exactly what career path to choose, but I want to use science to change the world. I'm thinking of becoming a doctor, a research biologist, or an environmental scholar. I also dream of opening a bakery someday.
What musician, conductor, or orchestra inspires you and why?
Dr. Dixon does! I've been in many orchestras, but I've never had a conductor with such a deep understanding of the repertoire. He knows exactly how it should sound and exactly how to bring that sound forth from the orchestra. AYP has raised my level of playing as an orchestra member, not just as an instrumentalist. I wish I had another year.