My name is Katelyn, and I love to play the violin. I have been playing in an orchestra for the past seven years. It is difficult to put into words the incredible experience of playing in an orchestra. I feel like it has enhanced my senses by allowing me to know when other people are going to play, to play with the same bow length as the other violinists, and to hear mistakes such as the slightest differences in intonation.

My interest in Harry Potter was what first made me interested in joining an orchestra in middle school. On the first day of sixth grade, the orchestra teachers played the main theme from the Harry Potter films, and ever since I was determined to learn how to play all of the Harry Potter songs on a stringed instrument. I fell in love with the high-pitched sound that can only come from a violin; it was the stringed instrument for me. My favorite songs to play have always been pop songs from the radio as well as twenty-first century action, dramatic pieces. The best part about having the ability to play the violin is the reaction of the audience or people for which I can play - notably those at a concert, the elderly at the nursing home, or the members of my church. Music portrays emotions if it is delivered well, and thanks to the wonderful programs in my middle and high schools, I have always been a part of an orchestra that exceeds in creating emotion for the audience.

The violin is a complicated instrument to learn, and I enjoy how it has humbled me, and will continue to humble me, on the journey to better my skills. A piece can never be perfected, and the smallest details can sometimes make the greatest difference in the performance. Playing brings me joy that takes me away from the negatives of the world; it is a positive outlet to de-stress be creative.