Sarah Soza, Class of 2015 - Extraordinary Viola Player

Enjoy Sarah's special viola concert performed for our sheltering-in-place Clairbourn families.

 

With a soothing calmness that seem to contradict the scope of her responsiblities, she remarks, “It’s not something to be taken lightly.” She works hard at her craft, and yet she is having the time of her life. She is taking advantage of opportunities to try new things and to meet people who are different from her. Her words of inspiration for Clairbourn students are: follow your interests and do what you love. Sarah is a model of that advice to follow your interests, work hard, have fun while doing it, and be open to new possibilities. In the following interview, read about how she got started in music and what she wants to do in the future.

 

 

I was enrolled at Clairbourn from 4th through 8th grade, and I graduated in 2015. 

 

Whenever I think of Clairbourn, I remember the teachers and staff with their positive energy. Everyone is so kind, and the environment created by these exceptional people was something that I have always loved.

I attended Saint Lucy’s Priory High School in Glendora. Clairbourn prepared me by building a sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic which made the transition into high school, and even college, easier. It’s really important to remain diligent despite the major changes in one’s environment—especially when it comes to balancing school and extracurriculars. 

 

The most influential activities were music class and the school ensemble, both led by Ms. Mize. Because I was too advanced for her violin class, Ms. Mize permitted me to step outside and work on my own pieces and technique. I’m grateful because not only did I get my practice in for the day, but she understood, supported, and promoted my violin playing without limiting my abilities. Later, I found out that the administration really liked hearing me practice and would regularly leave their windows open to hear me play. 

The school ensemble was also special in that I was allowed to participate despite the fact I was still in lower school. It doesn’t sound like much, but to be able to hang out with the older middle-schoolers was so exciting, and as a bonus, I got to play for even more people. 

 

I would love to join an orchestra and travel. I have been to a few countries (Thanks, Clairbourn!), and I have traveled out of state for music camps, but it would be exciting to play and travel further. I’ve also always really liked listening to film soundtracks, so much so that I would forget that I’m watching a movie! I’m not sure if I would want to compose, but I definitely want to be involved with the productions. 

I’ve also recently become interested in jazz, audio engineering, and producing music; it’s cool to see so many different aspects and styles of creating music. Short term goals include sharpening my viola playing and improving my music theory. 

 

A fulfilling aspect of playing for people is hearing how I have affected them or touched them in some way. It’s easy to become mentally clouded, doubtful in my skills, and forget that music is something to be shared; it connects musician to audience and audience to musician. To hear that I was able to impart some feeling to the listeners means that I was successful in my playing. 

Another rewarding aspect is that I’ve become more dependable to my peers and instructors. Improving my skills allows for more opportunities to produce higher quality work. I’m excited to play, and the only way to play more is to get better. I can sense the change in my playing, and I can't wait to see how far I progress here at UCI. 

The most challenging aspect is actually putting in the work. It can be very tiring to stay focused for upwards of five hours a day, everyday, on top of regular college life. It can also be incredibly frustrating when I’ve practiced the same six notes for an hour and it still doesn't sound good. It’s not something to be taken lightly, but I hang in there by thinking of the end result—thinking and planning, not dreaming. 

 

A difficulty I had was switching instruments; it was uncomfortable mentally and physically. I was hesitant to switch because I spent a very long time with the violin and wondered if I would even be able to adapt quickly enough. I also felt that I would be losing some part of my identity if I stopped completely. 

It was also very hard to overwrite the years of violin playing that had become ingrained into my muscles. Though they look similar, the violin and the viola are two different instruments and I learned that the hard way! Everything was familiar yet out of reach; I had to become a “violist” rather than a “violinist playing a viola." I needed to work through this messy block before anything else. 

The physical aspect was the easy part: practice. Practicing made me more comfortable which alleviated some major concerns. Also, I realized that it wasn’t necessary to “give up” violin, I just couldn’t spend as much time on it as I did before. I still have my violin and play whenever I can. 

 

To someone who is playing for fun: don’t stress and just have fun! To someone who is semi-interested in music: try challenging yourself with harder pieces and see how you feel about it after. 

To someone who knows they want to become a musician: get started on those technique exercises you’ve been putting off. Work to promote analytical thinking so you don’t have to practice longer/harder than necessary. 

 

If you feel it, go for it; don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Don’t be afraid to follow your own interests. High school is going to present its own unique challenges but it’ll be easier if you have something you truly enjoy.