Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra

For a while now, I have had a desire to perform in an orchestra again.  The last time I did was my sophomore year of college with the Philharmonic Orchestra, and that was almost five years ago.  Up until that point, I had been a member of an orchestra every year from the time that I was 8.  It began with Mr. Huish's orchestra at Northridge Elementary, then the Oak Canyon Jr. and Timpanogos High School orchestras.  I also was in the Timpanogos Preparatory Orchestra (TPO) and the Timpanogos Chambers Orchestra (TCO) all during Jr. High and High School.  I gave up sleeping in every Saturday morning for weekly rehearsals.  I also performed with the State orchestra while in High School.  Then immediately after I graduated I went to BYU and performed with the Philharmonic.  Needless to say, by the time I hit the end of my freshman year, I was burned out.  I felt that I had been to too many rehearsals in my life, and it was especially frustrating for me when it meant that I had to miss out on other fun college activities because of the time that I needed to spend practicing.  I decided then that I didn't want to be a music major. In fact, I remember thinking of quiting the orchestra as well, but I decided to join again my sophomore year to be able to fulfill the requirements for a music minor.

After my sophomore year, my time spend with the cello was few and far in between.  It was that summer that I went on a study abroad to Madrid, Spain.  It just so happened that I was placed with a family that had a daughter who played the cello.  I would spend time helping her practice and she let me borrow her cello for a performance at the Stake Center right by the Madrid Temple.  Then just a few months later, I got called on a mission to Argentina. I was able to get a hold of a cello in the MTC and my friend Natalie Quinn and I performed a duet during a Sunday night devotional.  I also found a cello while serving in my second area of Ushuaia.  It was around Christmastime and I performed with other members for their annual Christmas concert for the community.  After returning home from my mission, I was on a fast track towards graduation and did not have a strong enough inclination to make time for orchestra.  I performed a few times in Sacrament meeting and ward activities.

At that point in my life the cello seemed something more of the past.  But, it was still apart of me enough to want to take some of my Bridals with my cello.  It was an artsy idea that I had seen in other photos where the bride posed with a musical instrument or some other object representing a talent.  The pictures turned out well and are some of my favorites.

For our wedding reception, our family friend David Marsh performed with a quartet.  It was a beautiful addition for the reception and really made it magical.  Because of a little pressure from my dad, I stepped in for one song and played the cello part.

I don't think I touched the cello once during our first summer of marriage.  In fact I spent much more time playing the guitar.  It wasn't until I started writing guitar songs, that I picked up the cello again to add some cello harmonies and melodies to my songs.  I remember feeling extremely glad I played the cello because it added so much and complemented the guitar so well.

So now, after all of that, I come to my main purpose in writing this post.  As I said before, I was missing performing in an orchestra and I was looking for something I could be apart of, when one day Tyler's cousin sent me information about a new orchestra that was starting up in Highland called the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra.  I was excited about it, auditioned, and went to the first rehearsal last week.  It seems to be a good fit for me and it was very exciting to see some good friends my age who I had grown up with playing in orchestras.  I was especially happy to see Kathy.  The music we practiced seemed good and I liked my stand partner.  The only thing that I couldn't stand was the time of the rehearsal.  We practice from 7-9 on Thursday nights.  And the rehearsals are in Highland, close to where I work in American Fork.  It would have been pointless to drive back to Provo, only to have to turn right back around.  So I stayed late at work, then went to visit my friend Lyndsay, who now lives in Lehi, and then went to the rehearsal.  The rehearsal went late and by the time I got home it was 10pm.  I missed Tyler so much that day I thought I wasn't going to handle it.  Plus I was exhausted since I leave home every morning at 6am.  I don't really know if I want to do this orchestra anymore.  Or, one thought I had was to just wait until summer and then play with them? That way I wont have work and wont have to spend 14 hours a day out in the American Fork/Highland area.  I'm just trying to think it all through right now.......