SHS Music Student Plays Viola at Carnegie Hall

Last month, Meredith Walker, music student at SHS played viola in Carnegie Hall, Elizabeth Swager, Sheridan High School announced. “What an incredible honor. She is an incredible young lady.”

Meredith Walker is a junior at Sheridan High School. Her father, Ryan Walker, directs the orchestra at SHS, the middle school and Sheridan College.

The festival was called Honors Performance Series, and Ryan explains how Meredith received the invite.

“She auditioned via recording in September, and was notified of her acceptance in October. We were told at the festival that between 300-350 students try out for each ensemble at this festival (there was a band and a choir in addition to the orchestra), and the acceptance rate is about 30%.”

He explained the difference between the violin and the viola.

Meredith added this about why she liked the viola

Ryan added, “Meredith’s audition qualified her for first chair violist in this ensemble, which is a great honor for Meredith and also for our community. The festival ensembles rehearsed at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square for 2 days, and then performed a concert on Sunday at Carnegie Hall, which was simply incredible.”

The participants came from a wide variety of destinations; Meredith had members of her ensemble from Canada and many locations in the US (including a couple of students from Guam).

Meredith added this about being chosen for the honor, and playing on the stage in Carnegie Hall.

She also added that music will be continue to be a big part of her life, and she is planning to teach.

“As her father and her orchestra teacher, I was proud beyond words of her achievement. She has been studying strings since she was 4 years old (first the violin and then viola), and it was wonderful to see all of her work bring her to this experience, and her accomplishments with her music.

“It says some very good things about our string program in Sheridan, that one of our students get a top chair position in a festival like that,” Ryan added.

Photos courtesy of Ryan Walker, Thanks.