Being a harpist in the Seven Lakes Orchestras (SLORK) has been one of the most interesting experiences that I’ve gone and still am going through. Since there is only myself and another harpist, Rhea Saini in SLORK, I’m often frustrated due to the fact that no one else in my orchestra understands my problems, such as tuning 47 strings rather than 4. Despite the fact that all of our instruments have strings, the rest of the orchestra will often talk about ‘string’ problems that is a completely different world from mine, such as getting a bad tone from the G string on the violin.

One thing that I have learned throughout the years that I’ve played harp is that most composers don’t know how to write a proper harp part, that is IF they even write a harp part. Because most composers don’t think of the harp, unless they want glisses, I’m usually off on the sidelines, watching the rest of the orchestra playing amazing music, such as the “Rienzi Overture.” But when a proper harp part comes along, it’s the best thing ever. This past year, we played the “Aria in Classic Style” by Marcel Grandjany and I just absolutely loved it. It was amazing, to be up there and just showing off what I can play, since the music that I usually play in orchestra is usually just chord, rest, rest, chord, rest rest, chord.

Recently the Katy ISD Fine Arts Department purchased a Salvi Daphne pedal harp for the harp section for Seven Lakes (a.k.a. Rhea and I). We decided to name her Ginny, and lemme tell you, she’s so adorable. Originally, I thought we were going to name her someone from Despicable Me, since we had named the harp covers Gru and Agnes. But I think the name Ginny fits her, since her color kind of reminds me of Ginny Weasley’s hair color!

After being in SLORK for only 2 years, I can confidently say that I’ve learned so much, despite not playing as much as the rest of the orchestra. I’ve learned to love the instrument I play; I wouldn’t give up the harp for any other instrument because I enjoy my own one-man section (and, occasionally, the ‘back row’ section, which includes the piano, bass, and harp). I’ve learned the proper concert etiquette. And I learned the most important thing of all- that we must SUBDIVIDE.

-Cathleen Zhang, Harpist, Class of 2017

I am working on my Eagle Project to build five risers for Seven Lakes Orchestra so the members in the back can be raised up to follow the conductor as well as be easily seen by the audiences.

I am so fortunate to get the opportunity of combining two of my favorite passions and be able to do something for both. However, getting to this point hasn’t all been so easy!

Flashback – I picked up a violin for the first time in the 6th grade and fell in love with it. Watching my friends the ‘Pan Brothers’ play with such proficiency was so inspiring, that I dreamt of playing alongside them one day.

At the same time in 6th grade, I started my journey for community service as a Boys Scout.

Coming into the high school, many of my peers and seniors strongly advised me to drop some of my activities warning me that it just won’t be possible to continue them at the same time especially if I didn’t want my GPA to suffer. Many of my friends dropped out of orchestra and tennis early on. With my normal teen attitude, my initial thought was also to drop some of the activities and just focus on academics but when I really thought hard, I realized that I wouldn’t be the person I was or wanted to be without these passions in my life. I just couldn’t give them up without putting in my best efforts to make things work.

I have to admit, over the years, the time commitment for each activity became significant but most conflicts could be managed with planning ahead of time. The biggest challenge came for me when I became Life Scout and started working on my Eagle Scout rank requirements which needed for me to attend weekly meetings as well as attend a number of campouts over weekends. Orchestra MNR conflicted with the Troop meeting time. I was very concerned and scared, that I might have to make a choice between the two of my passions, and most my friends advised me that it was impossible to find a solution. I decided to approach both the Scoutmaster Mr. Wojo and the Orchestra Director Ms. O to apprise them of the situation and requesting them to consider changing the meeting/practice day/time.

Whilst it was not possible for either of them to change the timing/day of the respective activity, to accommodate just one individual, nor was it possible for them to exempt me from participating in the required meetings/ practices, both were extremely supportive and interested to help me achieve my goals of attaining the Eagle Rank and continuing my growth with Orchestra.

Ms. O kindly allowed me to leave the MNR 30 min earlier than the scheduled time and Mr. Wojo allowed me to arrive 15 min later than the scheduled time. Thanks to their support and kind consideration, I am so blessed that I have been able to continue with both my passions and am able to link both of them as part of my Eagle Project.

I would like to just advise others dealing with similar conflicts – Don’t give up – Follow your passions and you will be surprised of how much support you will receive from all corners.

-Sid Ahuja, Violinist, Class of 2016

The Seven Lakes Orchestras focus on overcoming challenges as a team; I am part of a smaller one. As a pianist, I’m often on the sidelines for events pertaining to the orchestra aspect of SLORK. It can be isolating, sometimes, sitting in a practice room for a concert or contest season as the orchestra rehearses together daily. It can be nerve-wracking being called out of the practice room once in a while, wondering if I’m about to sight-read a piece of music I’ve never seen before or if I’ve missed some crucial information announced while I was in the practice room. It can also be incredibly exciting — always wondering what the next step is, knowing that anyone and everyone can hear any mistake I make in the music, cherishing every opportunity to join the stage with the orchestras.

Here’s where my experience differs most from that of string players in SLORK: I am usually my own section. If not for the fact that I started out as a violinist in SLORK during my freshman year, I may not know the feeling of having rehearsal every day (because as a pianist, I’m usually required for only small bits of rehearsal or not required at all). I don’t share jokes with my section during class unless I laugh to myself. And, when the orchestra celebrates our achievements at the end of the day, I congratulate the others more often than I revel with them because I question my part in all of it if I didn’t play.

But, at the end of all of it, I believe that even though I miss out on some things, I have access to others that are so dear to me. SLORK pianists form close bonds with each other — we share the same responsibility of taking care of our pianos and keyboards, keep each other updated on what we may miss in each other’s classes, and discuss our latest musical endeavors, worries, and achievements with each other. We spend time together during rehearsal and fill in for each other when one of us is unable to cover it. In other words, SLORK has given me close relationships through both shared and unshared experiences.

Another name for Pianist in SLORK should be Miscellaneous Instrumentalist. Since pianists play the keyboard, we take care of parts that are lacking of players in the orchestra (the most common instruments we play on the keyboard are organ, celeste, and harp). Partly as a result of this, we are also given the opportunity to play non-string parts. Every year, for our annual “Sleigh Ride” performance, two pianists play the sleigh bells and the slapstick (the most coveted opportunity usually resolved for senior pianists!) and last year, one of our pianists learned to play the djembe, a traditional African goblet-shaped drum played with bare hands. However, sometimes we break tradition as last year, we included collaborative pieces scored for piano four hands. We also have multiple opportunities throughout our career to play concertos with our orchestras>

Pros and cons exist to everything, and I believe that the con of not playing in every piece and every rehearsal is offset by all of the different opportunities that is given to pianists and the responsibility that we learn to acquire as a result of often being the only person on a single instrumental part. I can genuinely say is that I do not regret making the switch from playing the violin to playing the piano within SLORK, and I would not change my experiences for anything. The isolation felt in the class is worth it in the SLORK events that we do, in being happy both with and for the orchestra, in every piece that I do get to play with them, in the two hundred family members that I’ve gained, and in the joyfully exhausting, beautiful feeling of playing some large, “impossible” piece for the final time.

Stephanie Cham, Pianist, Class of 2015