Why Did You Choose the Instrument You Play? We asked our COT Members.

My older sisters already played the When I began orchestra in the 4th grade, my Received help from a public school violin and cello, so I got to play the parents had an old violin that my grandpa band director. ~ Tom, trombone viola to keep sisterly competition and great-grandpa had played. That was my at a minimum. ~ Daphne, viola first violin. I still have it! ~ Emily, violin I liked the sound My parents bought me a cello in the of a trumpet. I played violin at first but always loved the bass line of 5th grade after I started taking school ~ Jerry, trumpet songs and hearing them when watching orchestras. In lessons in the 4th grade. We all loved middle school I asked if I could try switching to string the sound. ~ Joanna, cello I loved the idea bass. My teacher told me I was too short and my hands of a scholarship were too small. My mentality from then on as a 12 year I love the deep, full, low tones instrument. old was, "No one will tell me what I can't do because of of the bass. I've always heard the ~ April, bassoon my size." ~ Jamie, bass bass part as a prominent part in a piece of music. Also, I like the I thought it was a cool instrument. I I chose the flute because my mom rhythmic and harmonic foundation started out on cornet, but liked the played the flute and because it was the bass provides. ~ Dave, bass French horn better. ~ Elaine, horn small and easy to carry back and forth to school. But now I think it really is the I have no idea. My first My father brought home a trumpet, most beautifully sounding instrument of instrument was the piano; Mom after a trip buying and selling textbooks all, so I think that also must have had thought it best to learn the from schools and boards of education something to do with my decision. basics, which included music in Illinois and Ohio. At the time I was ~ Dee, flute & piccolo theory. Come 5th grade, we playing sousaphone and tuba in my could play instrumental music in high school band. After playing trumpet When we lived in Boulder, I had season school. Now at the age of 62, I at home, I decided to switch exclusively tickets to the Colorado Music Festival in have long forgotten my thinking to trumpet but was afraid to tell my row 6, directly in front of the cello back then. ~ Tim, trombone band teacher, so my father called him section. The sound of the instrument and I went from first tuba to thirteenth captivated me, and eventually I got up the …because I had to choose trumpet in my second year of high nerve to learn to play it. ~ Mary, cello between a violin and a piano and school. I was first chair during junior my sister was going to be the and senior years. …because it was my grandmother's favorite violin teacher so I wanted her to ~ Herschel, trumpet (& baton) instrument. However, I started orchestra by teach me. ~ Randall, violin trying to get out of class and had no clue …because it looked like a flute- what orchestra was. ~ Marcelena, violin I played several different instruments a-phone (black recorder) that I in high school, but found I had a played in 4th grade in Kansas. I fell in love with the violin immediately. I knack for the oboe. ~ Ed, oboe The clarinet looked like a big couldn't wait until the third grade, when I version of that. I enjoyed I wanted to be like my aunt who was was allowed to start taking lessons through playing that so much that I a marvelous violinist and my teacher, school. I continued to grow in my love for chose the clarinet when I was my inspiration and my champion who the violin when my grandfather took up able to. ~ Deon, clarinet believed in me. ~ Judith, violin violin making after retiring. The violin that I play now is one of my most treasured I really liked the unique sound and the complex I like the sound and possessions, as it is the last instrument that design of the instrument. ~ Kevin, bassoon stylistic flexibility. he had a hand in making. ~ Amy, violin ~ Larry, trumpet I was auditioning for the Interlochen Arts I chose to play the violin because I Academy, and they said my chances of Switched from violin to thought it sounded pretty. ~ Lani, violin getting in were better if I auditioned in an viola in the 8th grade cuz my orchestra teacher told orchestral instrument. I'd been fooling I thought it was the most feminine of me to. ~ Glynn, viola around with vibes in my rock band, so I instruments (even though all the auditioned on xylophone, and got in as I liked the sound. My childhood flutists in the Philadelphia Orchestra a triple minor in drama, composition, heroes were Itzhak Perlman and were men). ~ Fran, flute and...percussion. Then I had to get Shlomo MIntz. ~ Teresa, violin serious! ~ Monica, percussion Turn the page for more stories.  I watched my mother play violin I fell in love with the sound of the My great-grandfather was a country horn after hearing recordings of duets with her friend and I was their violinist and he played for family and Dennis Brain; when it was time to pick page-turner. Playing duets looked locals. My grandfather on the other like so much fun, I decided to take up an instrument for band, the horn was side came from Russia and would the violin, too. I wanted to play duets my first choice. I love the challenge have played there but come to the with my mother. ~ Lori, violin the instrument gives me as well as U.S. with a great love for violin music the joy of playing. ~ Janelle, horn and from both I wound up playing the When I saw all of the different parts I began playing saxophone at age violin. I do still play my great- of the clarinet and the many keys on it 10, and have completed a Bachelor grandfather’s violin from time to I thought it must be really complicated of Music degree in Saxophone time. ~ Chris, violin to play. ~ Chauncey, clarinet Performance at the U of A. My interest in the clarinet began with As a child, my 3 sisters and I were It allows me to be in both the teaching my cousin the instru- directed by our music teacher to form a Orchestral and Jazz worlds on the ment, and the interest continued family quartet. I liked the deep, full tones same instrument. ~ Bob, bass far beyond the lessons. ~ Zack of the viola, so that is why I have Brennan, clarinet & saxophone continued with the viola. ~ Martha, viola I was talked into playing crash I like stringed instruments. I play cello cymbals in Tchaikovsky's 4th I chose to play the cello, because I and piano, too. ~ Hyun Brown, violin Symphony. I loved hearing how strongly believe that the sound of the my part fit in with the other parts When introduced to all the instruments cello is so divine and magical. Since and had so much fun that I went when I was 9, I heard that you had to then, with the help of this magic, I to Pima College and became a stand up to practice the violin, so I pick experienced the power of reaching out percussion major. Then (age 44) the cello and I liked the sound of the cello to people and touching their hearts as a I discovered timpani. Finally. better also. I am very glad I pick the cello I cello soloist. ~ Rahşan, cello ~ Barbara, timpani still love the sound. ~ Barbara Lane, cello Given that my job is rather cerebral, …because my mom wouldn't let me play I find it relaxing to play drums the cello. She thought it would be too big I was playing flute in my junior where I don't have to focus on after watching a little girl drag one on high school band when I heard theory, key signatures, scales, etc :-) and off the school bus. We settled on the my first oboe. That was it! I ~ Hoshin, percussion trombone, which turned out to be a begged my parents until they perfect choice! ~ Mike, trombone let me take lessons and I have been playing now for over 50 When I was 10 years old, the only I have always sung alto in choral groups. years! instrument my mother said I couldn't play When I was asked by my school's music ~ Marilyn, oboe & English horn was violin because she couldn't stand department to choose an instrument, I hearing high pitched squeaks from an chose the French horn. However, I broke I started playing violin in inexperienced student. After a few years my front teeth in an auto accident. 4th grade. My playing the cello, I wanted no other Because of the ongoing dental work, I took grandfather had a violin instrument than it. ~ Amanda, cello up the viola and have played viola in a and he gave it to me to number of civic orchestras and ensembles play. He was a large I started playing the flute in 6th grade, for over 60 years. ~ Patricia, viola animal vet in Iowa and probably because my mother, a long- never had time to play it time Boston Symphony subscriber, loved My first instrument adventure was a little because he was so busy the sound of Doriot Anthony Dwyer’s cornet. We have a string of trumpet players in with his practice. He was playing. Much later, I took up the cello, our family, so I was told that's what I would play. VERY happy that I did as an orchestra needs just 2 or 3 flutes, I never enjoyed it but liked being in band. In 8th and enjoyed it so much! but many cellos! (I still sometimes play grade, I was told I would not get into HS band on ~ Susan, violin flute or piccolo when needed.) trumpet so I should switch to either French Horn ~ Dorothy, cello (& flute/piccolo) or Euphonium. The horn was prettier and lighter I chose to play the so I picked that. Unfortunately no one ever told viola when I was in In fourth grade, we were allowed to join me it was keyed differently. So I did not really fourth grade band or orchestra. For me, it was between learn how to play until my mid 20's when I because it was violin and flute. I'm still not sure what started teaching my son trumpet at age 5. We different than what exactly made me choose violin, but I've would practice at the same time and often play everybody else was always been glad I did! ~ Rose, violin duets together. ~ Mary, horn playing. ~ Liz, viola