By: Ellie Cooper<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike all of our ensembles, the String Ensemble has [a handful of] additional members who are not officially enrolled,\u201d Dr. Noel Verzosa, head of the music department, said. \u201cIn 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admission to the concert is free for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rehearsals for the concert started the first week of November. The ensemble features Hood students as well as some of Stapp\u2019s students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Will Seibert, who will be performing, is one of Stapp\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis 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,\u201d Seibert said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe rehearsals are fun, and I love playing,\u201d Olivia Sobchak, said. \u201cBut I mean, the actual concert, is what I\u2019m stressed [for], but I\u2019m always stressed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Sobchak twins have been performing in Hood\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to play the music, and it\u2019s always nice to play in an ensemble setting,\u201d Hannah Sobchak said. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to have the chance to [play] at Hood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more information, email verzosa@hood.edu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"