I couldn't wait until I got into the 5th grade, because then I could take violin lessons at school.  It was so exciting.  My girlfriend and I would practice all we could.  By 10th grade I played in my state's regional high school orchestra.  But in 11th grade, we moved to California where there was no school orchestra.  That was the end of my violin - many years ago.  Even though I received a beautiful violin from my brother's shop a few years ago, the inspiration to play it didn't come until I heard of the North Coast String Orchestra.  Now that my 2 boys are grown, I am able to fit in practice sessions even while working full time in the golf industry.  I also am able to squeeze in some knitting and needlepoint. 

 

 

 

 

  I look forward to great musical moments.  Perhaps I will even have a chance to try some jazz violin because of the momentum of this experience.

 

Annette expressed her love of music as a child through piano and guitar. Music has always been part of Annette's life and now she is fulfilling her life-long dream of playing the violin and playing in an orchestra. She joined The New Horizons String Orchestra in February of 2009 and is enjoying the challenge of learning to play the violin while having fun being part of this wonderful orchestra. They are a great group to be with and an inspiration to her.

I am a retired elementary teacher. Shortly before retiring I knew I needed to do something to keep my mind sharp so I decided to learn to play cello. I have always enjoyed music and played piano and flute off and on throughout my life. I could recognize most all of the instruments after hearing just a note or two, except for the strings. Learning the cello would keep my mind sharper and widen my appreciation of a musical family. The choice of the cello was perfect. It has a gorgeous sound . It is a challenge to learn, but much more fulfilling that crossword puzzles!

I have studied with several teachers, the most recent being Steve Garret. I must complement Steve for his extreme patience with a somewhat plodding older player! It was through Steve that I learned of the North Coast Strings and he encouraged me to join.

 

 

 

 

 

This group has brought me great satisfaction. I look forward to every rehearsal because I know I will lean new things and share some laughs with a group of people who share my goal of just enjoying what we are doing and learning in a comfortable, stress free environment.

Jim Thomas, a native of San Diego, was raised in Escondido, moving to the North County coastal area after college.  Married with two children in their mid-twenties, Jim is a Craftsman woodworker by trade

.His music career started early as a piano student, followed in his teens and through college as a classical guitarist.  Jim had the wonderful opportunity of re-locating to Paris with his wife after college and studying classical guitar for a year at the University Musicale de Paris .  While raising his daughter as a violinist and violist, Jim started practicing alongside her on those early Suzuki pieces.  Music has always been a passion for Jim.  He is now thrilled to be part of the North County String orchestra.  He wishes his daughter, now an accomplished musician, would come home more often to give him lessons!

I grew up in New York and began playing violin in the third grade and performed with orchestras in elementary school, junior high school, and high school. After moving to Albuquerque, N.M. before my senior year in high school, I performed with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony in Albuquerque and in several small cities while on tour in the state. Afterwards, I belonged to the UCLA Symphony Orchestra while going to school there.

I returned to Albuquerque for law school and subsequent work and played in the pit orchestra for several shows performed by the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, over 26 years after having moved to San Diego County, the New Horizons String Orchestra has given me the chance to wipe the dust off my violin and the rust off me.

When I was a young girl I took violin lessons and played in the Junior High Orchestra. At that time I had other interests and did not play the violin again until many years later.

I consider myself to be very fortunate to have been introduced to Paula Simmons and lessons again, and to be a member of the New Horizons Strings Orchestra at the Museum of Making Music.

Music always has a strong hold on me since I was a young boy. Although I was never able to attend music classes or be taught an instrument I always wish I could learn to play violin.

That dream came true two years ago on my 30th wedding anniversary when to my surprise I unwrapped a pristine, new, violin. Learning to play the violin has become as important as my daily professional activities.  I’m having fun with my violin and enjoying the professional training I’m getting.

Senior Software Engineer for Harris Corporation San Diego California

 

 

 

 

 

Undergraduate study at North Eastern University, Boston Massachusetts
BSEE Electrical Engineering, graduate study at Brown University, Providence Rhode Island with MS in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Hilarious and a whole lot of fun!

This is what I originally thought when the idea of playing cello again darted across my gray matter. I played over forty years ago as kid in grammar and high school. Needless to say this skill set laid dormant for many years. I retired a number of years ago from the Navy Nurse Corps and have continued to work as a critical care nurse.

The New Horizon's Orchestra has provided me an opportunity to learn to play an instrument, that I once knew, as part of a collective for pure entertainment and friendship. Thanks gang!