Senior Amanda Marcy has been accepted for the fifth time in the junior and senior All-State Orchestra.
As a long-time orchestra member, Marcy’s achievements continue to represent the Golden Eagle music department on a widely recognized state-wide level.
“I am very excited, especially because this is my senior year and I know it will be such a fun experience,” Marcy said.
The Florida Orchestra Association offers the opportunity for students from seventh to twelfth grade to audition for All-State Orchestra. The audition process is a lengthy one, requiring students to play a challenging etude and excerpt, along with scales that need to be learned.
The audition is in the form of an audio tape, where musicians are asked to play a random portion of both the etude, excerpt and one of the scales. Once one is accepted, they attend a three-day conference in Tampa. The conference takes place in January and is filled with rehearsals and concerts, with students playing alongside other top players in the state.
“Violin takes a lot of hard work and patience, so I think it was my work ethic and dedication that has allowed me to be where I am today,” Marcy said.
Marcy finds that her parents have been her biggest inspiration in her life. Their love of music has jump started her career in music. She started playing the violin at three years old and has played in various orchestras, causing her to become exposed to music at such a young age.
“I definitely look up to my parents a lot, as they are probably the most motivated and talented musicians and people I know,” Marcy said.
Marcy has found her passion in orchestra and has had memorable times over the years. She sees herself having a career in music, continuing to play her violin. Her talent will stay with her as she pursues her future and builds on existing achievements.
“I would say I have a lot of short-term goals, such as getting into music school and getting into things like All-State,” Marcy said. “I’m applying to six different music schools, so we will see what happens.”
After being in the orchestra for so long, Marcy has gained many memories from her time but has also had to face many challenges. Schoolwork and other responsibilities became a struggle to balance with orchestra. However, as she became older, her time management skills have improved, helping her balance a demanding schedule.
“I have met some of my best friends through school orchestra in both middle and high school,” Marcy said. “They make orchestra very fun, and it would be a much different experience without them by my side.”
All-State is an exceptional opportunity for Marcy to advance her already talented skills, and she cannot wait for the future to come and see what it has to offer.
“All-State is an amazing experience, and it allows you to make some really great friends from all over the state,” Marcy said. “It will help me have a career in music and keep the violin in my life forever.”
