Melissa Rosowsky, violin: 2022 Senior Spotlight

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Melissa Rosowsky, violin
South Burlington High

VT Youth Orchestra – 2 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 3 years
VT Youth Strings – 2 ½ years
Presto – 2 sessions

 

When we think of Melissa we often think of her as a member of a quiet group of violin players that started in VT Youth Strings together (trying to get them to yell “Hey” in Stomp and Fiddle took a lot of coaxing) and have moved through the orchestras together, dressing up as M&Ms for Halloween, and traveling to Spain and Portugal on tour in 2019. As performing musicians we have even had the privilege of performing with her from the pit orchestras of her school musicals while she has been on stage for shows such as Oliver and Beauty and the Beast.  It has been a delight to watch Melissa grow up over the last seven years and we are excited to see where life takes her!

 

 

 

 

 

What role does music play in your life?       

Music is an enormous part of my life. I grew up standing on tables singing songs in made-up languages or performing violin concerts for collections of Beanie Boo stuffed animals. As I got older, music started to become almost everything in my life, and bordered on feeling stressful and discouraging. I picked up more hobbies, like tennis, and music became more of an escape from my often hectic day-to-day life. I now look forward to any opportunity to play or perform, and I hope to keep it in my life forever.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

It’s almost impossible for me to pick a favorite VYOA memory because it’s been part of my life for so long. A recent one that comes to mind was Casino Night at Reveille this past summer, singing karaoke with my friends and playing seemingly endless games of Cup Pong. VYO has given me so many opportunities to develop and strengthen friendships, from the days of turning Mia into a mummy in Presto to traveling to Spain and Portugal in 2019 to summer days eating lunch on the stairs across from Elley-Long.

If you know, what do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

I am studying astrophysics in college (physics applications in astronomy). Along with the majority of kids my age, I wanted to be an astronaut when I was very young. As I got older, I learned about astrophysics and how my love of mathematics and physical sciences could be combined with my childhood dreams. In high school I began to read astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology, and even astrobiology books and taught myself everything I could. I realized that studying space was realistic, and decided I wanted to pursue it in the future. Now I have been accepted to several schools with incredible observational astronomy resources, such as the University of Hawaii at Manoa, so I have a big decision ahead of me! I look forward to seeing what my higher education holds.

Logan Crocker, flute & piccolo: 2022 Senior Soloist

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Logan Crocker, flute & piccolo
Colchester High
VT Youth Orchestra – 2 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 1 year

Logan was our Fall VYO Concert Senior Soloist and will be performing on the Hermance Prize Recital on Wednesday, April 13, along with this year’s other Senior Soloists. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow into the musician that you can hear in the last two years of VYO concert recordings . If you hear the piccolo, that’s Logan!

 

Why do you like your instrument & how did you choose it?

I chose the flute when I was in 5th grade when we had the option to learn an instrument. I don’t remember the exact reason why it chose it, but it always stood out to me. I love the flute because of the different voices it has and how you can change it depending on tone and vibrato. This gives me the opportunity to explore and learn new thing about the flute, while also challenging me.

What has been your biggest musical challenge & how did you overcome it?

My confidence has always been a challenge for me. When I was younger I would get really nervous playing in front of anyone. Auditions and recitals would be hard for me and it was discouraging. However, with the more experiences I had with performing and taking auditions, I became more confident in myself and my playing ability.

What is your favorite VYOA memory?

My favorite VYOA memory is when I had the opportunity to perform the first movement of Mozart’s Flute Concerto in G major with the VYO at Spruce Peak. It was a great growth experience for me and helped me become a more confident musician.

If you know, what do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

I plan on studying flute performance in college. Although I don’t know where I will be attending yet, I have been accepted into the Jacobs School of Music and other programs. I’ve know I wanted to do something with music since 8th grade, but it wasn’t till my sophomore year when I knew I wanted to go for flute performance. Music has always been an important part of my life and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

James Bialas, trombone: 2022 Senior Spotlight

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James Bialas, trombone
South Burlington High

 

VT Youth Orchestra – 3 years
VT Youth Philharmonia – 2 years

 

This marks the end of our Bialas era! We have been so lucky to have the Bialas siblings and extended family with us over the last ten years. James has been an integral part of our low brass section since he joined VT Youth Philharmonia 5 years ago, sometimes holding down the section as the only trombone player! We have enjoyed his diligence and musicianship every year.

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you like your instrument & how did you choose it?

When I was younger I went to VYO concerts to watch my cousin perform. I would always be captivated by the brass instruments, how they could sound both so powerful and so soothing. I chose the trombone in 6th grade because it was unique. It not only looked and sounded cool, but you could play some cool effects using the slide that no other brass instrument could do.

What was your favorite concert as a performer with the VYOA?

My favorite concert with the VYOA was my first OrchestraPalooza concert. Performing at the Flynn had been something I had been looking forward to since joining the VYOA, and the atmosphere both in the Flynn and around it made it so much more special than a normal concert.

If you know, what do you plan to study in college & how did you make your choice?

I am planning to study computer science in college. I have always been very interested in computers and how they work. I have also been involved in many tech-oriented experiences and projects over the years that have pushed me towards computer science, such as training to be a lighting engineer and even coding my own Flappy Bird game that could be played on a smartphone. I also hope to continue my musical career by playing and performing with ensembles at college and possibly selecting a music minor.