String Residue Anonymous

Daniel's viola rings across the stage, and I tap my foot lightly to the beautiful melody. I feel myself exhale when he completes his solo, and in one motion, I lift my violin and join him with the rest of the orchestra.

The passion for music and vibrating strings seeps off of the stage and into daily lives of each orchestra member. We begin to speak faster when we talk about Adagio for Strings , and we often send each other links to our favorite pieces. My friend and fellow violinist once casually remarked that my phone rings at a D#. This passion is beautiful to me, and I am inspired every time I hear my classmates play their instruments with their own personal twist.

Last spring when we were on stage playing my favorite song, Beethoven's Egmont Overture, I could feel myself moved by a strong force. The orchestra was in touch with a different wavelength, following the powerful heartbeat of the piece. We became quieter, louder, and bolder together. We swayed in unison to the same steady rhythm, and we were moved by a shared understanding of each other's role in the piece and in the group.

I remember that our conductor had a tear in her eye. She knew it felt right, and when I looked at Daniel's and Mac's and Mikayla's faces, I...