A Glimpse of a Musician

It’s picture day and it’s an early one. The high school orchestra students arrive to class at 8am- some with wet hair just out of the shower, some with sleepers in their eyes and even a few with the imprint of a pillow still on their cheeks. Half of them have their concert attire, another quarter have a few random pieces and the rest are scrambling around borrowing blazers and ties as if this was the first that had heard of this planned event.

I look at the line forming and for a moment I think that this just might not go well - even though it has miraculously come together the 2 years previous. Then, they step in front of the lens and the scattered, scrambling 16-year old instantly becomes an artist. It is as if they cross over this magical line and with that comes grace, poise and confidence. In my opinion, it is impossible to look anything but beautiful when posed with a string instrument. There is an intelligence that come with musicianship that permeates the soul and I am lucky enough to be there to capture it.

I love watching that transformation from student to musician. I love seeing the pride they have in their instruments, in their form when I ask them to do something that is technically incorrect and I love the fact that they have committed to sticking with it and are now part of something that is bigger than themselves.

How lucky are these kids to have a teacher that cares enough to skip valuable rehearsal time to allow me to document this time in their lives. It is important to her so it is in turn important to them. Now to just give me a little more time to work my magic next time - but I am happy to take whatever I can get.