Q: When did you start playing?
A: 6 years old – right as I started 1st grade.
Q: What made you choose your instrument?
A: I was the youngest child of 5 and all my siblings played – I just thought you were supposed to play violin! My siblings all still play, all studied to be professional, and 3 are still professionals!
Q: What is your most memorable HPO experience?
A: I really enjoyed the Tchaikovsky 5 concert we just played – I felt that the audience involvement and reaction was fantastic!
Q: What kind of things do you like to do when you’re not playing?
A: Play with my daughter, do yoga, take walks or run outside, and be with friends.
Q: Who is your favourite composer to play or listen to?
A: This is a very difficult question – Mozart is such a wonderful composer to play as a violinist, I love the mix of musical simplicity and complexity. Mahler is also wonderful, but it is often too sad!
Q: Favourite book? Movie?
A: It’s so difficult to have a favorite of anything – I love Steinbeck, and I really enjoyed reading the Lord of the Rings as an adult! One of my favorite movies is “Antonia’s Line”, a Dutch film. It’s quirky and beautiful. I also love the tragedy of Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring – very sad, and very beautiful.
Q: Do you have a secret indulgence?
A: It wouldn’t be much of a secret if I told you what it is!
Q: Who was your hero when you were 10? Who is your hero now?
A: Right now my heroes are all the men and women working in countries that need humanitarian relief – Doctors without Borders (a personal favorite), the Red Cross, volunteer organizations building schools and educating people. These people are amazing selfless, energetic, and courageous individuals.
