I have been playing cello since the 5th grade. I want to be a professional cellist when I grow up. I practice at least one hour of cello every day. When I work on composition, it’s on my cello.
School
I play cello in the school orchestra. I also play cello in the extracurricular group, Select Strings, which requires after school practice every week.
I am also in a quartet at school that formed organically when I was in 6th grade and my friends and I were playing Christmas music during down time in orchestra. Our quartet plays during transitions at school concerts and at community functions like school board meetings.
Harmony South Dakota
On weekdays I attend Harmony, which is an after school program where kids learn music theory, can sing in a choir, and learn to play string instruments. I started on the violin in Harmony and quickly moved to cello. I think it sounds way better than the violin! When I get older, I’ll also be able to teach lessons to the younger students.
South Dakota Symphony Youth Orchestra
I am principal cellist in Philharmonia in SDSYO. We get to perform our concerts on the same stage as the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra at the Washington Pavilion, which is really fun!
Here I am in our winter concert. Maistro Jeffrey Paul is such an animated and talented director! He is principal oboist with the SDSO, and does all kinds of cool musical things! When I’m an adult, I want my musical career to look something like Maistro Paul’s.
Other Activities
I take weekly lessons with my cello teacher, Grace Goeller. About every other week, Grace also leads group lessons and studio classes, where we learn to play in smaller groups and give each other feedback on our current work.
Grace is actually who first taught me how to play cello when we were both at Harmony together. Now she is studying cello under Dr. Sonja Kraus at University of South Dakota, and I have already improved so much since starting private lessons with her!
I recently auditioned and was accepted to attend orchestra camp at Interlochen Arts Camp in the summer of 2026. I’m so excited to make more musical friends and grow as a musician this summer!
Every month I volunteer at the Humane Society. I usually play cello for the cats or dogs for an hour or so. Then I do other volunteering stuff for the rest of my time like socializing the small animals or cats, filling up water, or doing laundry.
My mom and I like to go to orchestra concerts. We usually attend three South Dakota Symphony Orchestra concerts per year, plus a chamber group here and there. In November of 2025 we were able to go see the Joshua Bell at the New York Philharmonic. They were incredible!
Here I am at David Geffen Hall and Julliard at the Lincoln Center in NYC.
I also attend any masterclass or learning opportunity I come across. I love learning from lots of different musicians. Everyone has something unique to offer and plenty of helpful things to teach me.
Achievements
All State
In 6th grade, I was the only student at my school to make it into the middle school all state orchestra. I was 5th chair. This year, in 7th grade, I practiced really hard and made 1st chair.
All City Honor Orchestra
In 6th grade, I was 2nd chair in the All City Honor Orchestra. This year, 7th grade, I am 1st chair, which was lucky because I only had the music for a few days to practice.
Solo/Ensemble Contest
In 6th grade, I received Superior+ ratings for both my solo performance and our quartet performance at the Middle School Solo/Ensemble Contest. In 7th grade I only did a solo performance. I received a Superior+++.