Interview with Dr. Paul of Live On Purpose Radio

My Interview with Dr. Paul of Live on Purpose Radio.

http://www.liveonpurposeradio.com/radio/2011/02/28/a-celebration-of-cellos-my-cello-dream/

CONCERT INFO

A Celebration of Cellos- My Cello Dream
Saturday, March 26, 2011
7:00 PM
Orem High School 175 S. 400 E. Orem
Tickets $5 at door. $3 in advance. All proceeds are donated to Orem High School Music Department
Advance tickets may be purchased at Orem High School "Financial Aid" Office between the hours of 7:30 am and 1:00 pm M-F or on Saturday's at rehearsal at 50 S. 800 E. Orem, or you can call Janice Baker at 801-787-5612 or Evan Baker at 801-787-5610. You can also get tickets through any cello player in the concert.

UVU Video students offer to help

While meeting with Aaron Kopp's class, I had a student interested in videoing the concert. He gave me his contact information and told me that he belongs to a club where that about 50 students belong to that is outside of class. He said that they created this club because they wanted to have a group and help each other have more opportunities and experiences than what they could get in class. I told him what I needed and when he met with the group, a student named Jorden Nash offered had some interest and offered to meet with me. We met at Orem High and I presented what I was looking for and he presented what he could do. In the process of this meeting, he gave me some ideas of things I hadn't even thought about as far as presenting and staging the concert. I know that throughout this whole experience, I have had a major learning curve. It is like sitting with an expert and understanding 1/3 of what they say. He picked up on that and wrote it out for me in my notebook. I loved that he did that, he wanted me to get it and I wanted to get it. When I did get it, I couldn't believe that I would be so blessed to get to have that kind of expertise guiding parts of this concert. Jorden offered to help. I was so impressed with this young man. He told me that he works for BYU broadcasting and also helps with videoing UVU sports. My only hope is that as big of a blessing as he is going to be to me, I hope that I always keep to the forefront, how I can provide an environment with what I know, so it can also be a blessing in some way to him. When you add another person's dream with your own dream, wow, this becomes really big and really amazing. God, please bless all these people with all that you can for doing this kind thing for me.

Meeting with the Utah Valley University Sound Engineer Classes

The Utah Valley University Sound Engineering classes accepted my concert as their class project this semester. There are 2 classes involved. Mike Wiselan's class will professionally record the concert and Aaron Kopp's class will help with sound enhancement. Mike's got the reputation of having the best program in the state. He has done the grammy awards and does the Sundance Film Festival, so it is humbling for me to think that they would do my little ole concert. Aaron is the CEO of Pol. He is the one who put the entire sound system together for the Covey Center for the arts theatre.

I met with both classes. Mike invited me to come and meet with his class. He had me present the outline for the concert so as a class they could figure out what they needed to start getting ready for. It was a really neat experience seeing experts going to work. I didn't understand 3/4 of what they talked about, but I could tell that the concert was in good hands. During this process, often, I have had others that I have included try and make this concert their own. I knew going in that I wanted it to be true to the dream that all began it and that even though I was grateful, I needed to learn to be assertive and keep it where I really wanted it. I loved that with this class, they didn't pull it away from me, they had me there and the decisions made were to make my dream it's best sound wise with all that they could do. In fact, when I left, I wondered how I got so deserving to have something so great. I never imagined being this blessed.

Final Rehearsals Begin

Starting January 15th, we began the final leg of this journey. Final rehearsals began. The groups meet every Saturday. The large orchestra meets from 3:00- 5:00. For the first 6 weeks they will meet in sectionals so they can master the music before we combine them all together with their conductors. The ensembles meet the hour before and the hour after. It has been exciting seeing it all come together after months of doing each group separately, at different times and places. Now they all start seeing each other and what each group is doing.

Two Websites for this concert

This website that you are on now http://thecellodreamsunfold.blogspot.com, is the website that tells the story of this concert as it unfolds. There are lots of pictures and some videos to help tell the stories.

The second website http://www.mycellodream.blogspot.com is my communications site with cellists, their parents and teachers. It has the current calendar for cellists of upcoming rehearsals. It has a section with question and answers to the top questions I have been asked. It keeps cellist up to date on what's next!

The easiest way through the sites is to click on "older posts" at the bottom of each page. The most current information is near the end. Thanks for showing interest. Hope you enjoy it!

My Story: A dreamer in progress

I grew up in the small town of Winslow, Arizona. It is just off Route 66 and the hit band "The Eagles" made my town famous with their song "Take it Easy". The words to the song say, "Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. To this day, you can come to this corner in town and get your picture taken.


In Winslow, you could start playing a musical instrument in 5th grade. When I was in the fourth grade, a group of high school students brought their instruments to show all the 4th graders. We watched them take their instruments out of their cases and tighten their bows. As soon as I saw a cello, I was smitten. No other instrument existed for me after I saw it. I knew I had to play the cello. I went home and asked my parents. I started the cello the next year.

In Winslow, the Junior High was for 7th and 8th graders. The High School was 9th through 12th.


When I was in Junior High, there were 8 cello players. The first six were boys and then me and Debbie were in the back.


I remember being teased ruthlessly by the boys that girls were not suppose to play the cello. After weeks and weeks of this teasing, I determined in my head that I was going to pass up all those boys and show them. I was determined and so I did what any determined cello player would do, I practiced. ALOT! I am probably a rare person in that my parents never told me to practice once in all the years I played the cello. I just did it. I loved to practice. I loved the cello.

If you wanted to move up a chair in our orchestra, you could "challenge" the person in front of you. The teacher would select a section of music and both of you would play it in front of the class. Then the teacher would choose who they thought did the best. I would then challenge in class each boy in turn and by the end of 8th grade, I had passed every boy but one.




When I went to high school the next year, I was able to audition for a regional orchestra. All high school students can audition in their region and the top players are chosen to play in an amazing regional orchestra. Because of all the practicing I did in Jr. High to beat those boys, I actually made 4th chair in the regional orchestra that year. I still had one boy to beat though, and he was so good. It took me all year, but the last month of school, my 9th grade year, I challenged him and beat him. I hate to say it, but I'm gonna anyway. The picture of me playing my cello as first chair and him second chair made the year book. That was so cool. I later bought his cello. I still have that cello.


Well, here is where my dream tonight comes into play. All the cellists who made their regional orchestras were able to audition for the all state orchestra. I was able to audition and because I had practiced so much to try and beat James, I actually made 2nd chair in the all state orchestra. I was so excited.

When we arrived at Arizona State University where we would perform, we found out that the first and second chair cellists would be rehearsing the entire cello section. It was so amazing to be a part of such an amazing and talented group of cellists. The first chair cellist, he rehearsed the group and I was sent to listen and make recommendations.

It was during that rehearsal that I sat and listened and had major goosebumps. It was amazing to hear so many cellos playing together. It was so beautiful. I had never heard that before. It was in that moment, that I remember saying in my head, "wouldn't it be so awesome to have a concert where the entire stage was filled with just cellos. I'm gonna do that some day." I was 15 years old when I had that experience that inspired me.


Well, this year is my 30th year High School class reunion so I have been blessed to be reconnecting with friends from back home. During a conversation with an old friend, that dream to do an all cello concert was brought again to my attention. I thought about it for several weeks after our conversation and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was drawn to it. It wouldn't go away. I realized I had to do this. For some reason it was just important for me to do this.

Someone recently asked me, why now? My response, why not? A cello dream may be insignificant as far as the things that really count in the world, but at one moment in time, a young girl had a dream, a dream that inspired her.

The opportunities that the cello provided me as a young girl are priceless. I learned self discipline. I had opportunities that I never would have had if I hadn't played it. I met amazing people and traveled to some amazing places.

Now I want to invite cello players around the age that I was and older, to participate with me in a celebration of the cello. I hope it will inspire them with their own dreams and also help others enjoy the diversity of this beautiful instrument. Our inspired dreams are worthy of our attention.