String Ensemble gets read for end of semester concert

By: Ellie Cooper

The end-of-semester concert for the Hood College String Ensemble will be held in Coffman Chapel on Dec. 5 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“Like all of our ensembles, the String Ensemble has [a handful of] additional members who are not officially enrolled,” Dr. Noel Verzosa, head of the music department, said. “In past semesters, this has included local community members who are not Hood students but who were looking for an opportunity to play in an ensemble.”

Admission to the concert is free for students.

William Stapp, the director of the ensemble, teaches music to students of all ages and Stapp teaches violin and viola at the Frederick String Initiative.

In addition to teaching lessons, Stapp is a professional violinist/violist and violin maker. He owns William Stapp Violin Maker in Frederick, where he repairs violins and violas.

Rehearsals for the concert started the first week of November. The ensemble features Hood students as well as some of Stapp’s students.

Will Seibert, who will be performing, is one of Stapp’s violin students and has been taking private lessons for years. Seibert is in seventh grade, which means he has been playing since he was about five years old.

“This is my first year [preforming] on stage, so this is an opportunity [for me] to get used to playing in front of a big group of people,” Seibert said.

Olivia Sobchak and her twin sister, Hannah, both Hood juniors, will also be performing. They have been playing violin since they were five years old.

“The rehearsals are fun, and I love playing,” Olivia Sobchak, said. “But I mean, the actual concert, is what I’m stressed [for], but I’m always stressed.”

The Sobchak twins have been performing in Hood’s ensemble since their first semester. They also used to take private lessons for violin with the same instructor up until their sophomore year of college.

“I’m excited to play the music, and it’s always nice to play in an ensemble setting,” Hannah Sobchak said. “I’m thrilled to have the chance to [play] at Hood.”

For more information, email verzosa@hood.edu.