Page 18 - Phil Connections Magazine 3-2021v2_Neat

Phil MUSICIANS

What is a

concertmaster?

SEE PAGE 11

MEET ANA-MARIA LAPOINTE

Phil Concertmaster Ana-Maria LaPointe’s musical I was 5 years old at the time. Another favorite is
roots stretch across three generations. Ana- listening to my parent’s concerts while sitting in
Maria, her parents, and her grandparents are the audience all by myself. The way the “George
professional musicians. Born in Romania, Ana- Enescu” concert hall is built, it has two rotundas
Maria started violin at the age of 5 and her mother on each side of the stage that were allocated for
was her first violin teacher. orchestra members to use. I remember that there

I remember when I had to were secret ways of getting to the stage from the
go from the elementary downstairs lockers and as a young child that was
school into the middle a lot of fun. Another memory is listening to my
school, my parents asked parent’s rehearsal and dancing in the audience
me if I wanted to pursue (there was nobody there and I believe I was maybe
music into the middle and 8 years old). I was so happy. By the time I was in
high school. At the time I high school, I would walk directly from school to
was interested in math and my parent’s hall and sit and listen to their rehearsal
music. Even though it was while doing homework.
a hard decision to make, I You started music at age of 5. What is your
followed my heart. I loved approach to teaching students today? Is it
playing my violin then and I
love playing my violin now. different today from when you were learning?

Outside her work with the Plymouth Philharmonic, I incorporate the way I was taught into my
Ana-Maria teaches violin, plays for the Lexington teaching using the traditional and Suzuki method.
Symphony and Symphony New Hampshire, and My philosophy is to take each student as a unique
spends time with her young daughter. individual. Each student has their own personality
and I always try to model the way I teach each a

With a family legacy of professional musicians, little different. Growing up, as a beginner, I practiced
at least 2 hours per day and had private lessons
what are your earliest memories of music? almost every day. By the time I was in high school

I have so many wonderful memories that I treasure. I had private lessons with two different university
My earliest memory is of my mother Valentina professors on top of my regular lessons provided
teaching me how to hold the violin and the bow; by the music high school.

PAGE 18 CONNECTIONS