Being 12 years old is a lot different than it used to be. I came to this conclusion after playing cello in the Heartland Symphony Orchestra concerts this weekend.
Let me preface by saying how awesome the two youth soloists were. The first was 12-year-old violinist Sedra Bistodeau from Princeton, Minn. She had an amazing command of the instrument for her age as well as amazing stage presence. That's not even mentioning the technical difficulty of the piece she chose to perform -- the third movement of Max Bruch's "Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor." If you haven't heard it, well, it's a very dramatic piece and very technical as well. Everything about her performance was great.
I was blown away by the fact that she was just 12 years old. Of course, I was playing, so I couldn't close my eyes and listen. But, if I had, I probably wouldn't have known she was 12 years old.
It's a little intimidating. I remember when I was 12. I had been playing the cello for one year at that point so I had just mastered "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." OK, so maybe I was past the "Twinkle, Twinkle," but I wasn't much beyond that. And, I certainly wasn't playing any concertos. Cello came pretty easily for me but I didn't practice for hours a day.
At 12 years old, piano was still my main instrument. But, at some point, cello became my favorite instrument and I practiced more. My musical progress seemed fairly normal though. I was no prodigy. But that's OK.
ADVERTISEMENT
The second soloist who played with the Heartland Symphony Orchestra was 18-year-old Rachel Papillon from Wadena. She played "Horn Concerto, Op. 8" by Franz Strauss, which is a very powerful piece. Once again, she blew me away. I don't play the horn, but I've heard it's one of the most difficult instruments to play. It takes tremendous breath support. And, Rachel has been studying the horn for just six years.
At 18 years old, I had definitely moved past "Twinkle, Twinkle," on the cello but still wasn't playing any great concertos. That came a few years later. I know I wouldn't have had the gumption to audition and solo with an orchestra when I was 18. My confidence in playing cello didn't come until later while studying cello at Concordia College. I had the opportunity to play many solos there as well as a senior recital.
I feel so fortunate that I'm still able to play the cello regularly in the Heartland Symphony Orchestra and solo around the area. I hope these young musicians continue with their music as well. I see great things in the future for Sedra and Rachel and wish them the best.
