Elke Zigmont ’23 has been playing the violin since the age of five —long enough to know both its challenges and its rewards.
“The violin gets a reputation as a hard instrument,” Elke explained, “because it has an extreme range of sounds that need precision to accomplish. When you are able to combine these sounds and make music, it is satisfying artistically as well as challenging mentally.”
“I love the instrument’s versatility,” Elke added, “and the way its sound responds to the smallest changes in the player’s technique. This also allows for great individuality amongst players that makes every interpretation of a piece valuable in some way.”
Elke’s skill and commitment as a performer has once again been recognized by the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA). For the second year in a row, she is representing Westover in the CMEA regional festival as a member of its High School Orchestra.
“I’ve been participating in the CMEA festival since the 4th grade, when I was in the Elementary Honors Orchestra,” Elke said. “It means a lot to me.”
Because of the pandemic, however, there were significant changes this year in the competition, both in the audition process and in the regional festival program itself.
“Usually,” Elke explained, “the auditions are in-person at a massive public school,” which varies from year to year. The auditions encompass a large number of administrators and judges, student musicians, and their teachers from school music programs from throughout the region.
The audition experience can sound intimidating — literally. “The warm-up areas are just pure noise,” Elke recalled. “People everywhere are warming up and playing their pieces.”
Given the pandemic’s social distancing rules in place, however, the audition process this year had to be revised —simplified but still challenging.
Instead of a mass audition, Elke was required to send in an audition video tape recorded under a strict set of conditions.
“The tape had to be shot all in one take,” Elke explained, “with a clock on view in the recording and a clear shot of my hands at all times.”
Elke first began working on her audition piece last summer. Her teacher, Ben Dean, recorded the piece in his New Haven studio. Because Elke was representing Westover, the audition tape was submitted through Lauren Tian, Westover’s Arts Department Chair and Director of Music.
Usually, student musicians chosen for the CMEA regional festival gather at a school for an intense weekend of rehearsal that concludes in a group performance. “The normal routine is a super-tight schedule,” Elke said. “The orchestra meets for the first time at 3:30 pm on a Friday and gets right to work with the guest conductor. You work until 9 pm. Then you arrive by 8 am the next morning and work until the performance at 3 pm.”
Other than breaks for meals, Elke added, “it’s just an intense push to quickly get to know the conductor and his or her expectations, and then to pull together as a performing group. It’s really challenging because you only have about a month to learn the program the conductor has chosen before you all meet for the first time and put it together in less than two days. It’s hard, but rewarding.”
Because of the pandemic, however, students who were chosen for this year’s CMEA High School Orchestra did not get to experience this intense but rewarding experience. Instead, Elke and the other musicians selected were given certificates designating them as being part of a “paper ensemble” for this year’s program.
In addition to her private lessons in New Haven, Elke is in her second year performing with the Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra. While in middle school, she played with the Shoreline Youth Orchestra.
During her first two years at Westover, Elke has had an opportunity to take part in a number of school performances. She also is a member of Lauren’s Chamber Music class. “We learn repertoire and play violin together, along with Isabel Gittines ’22, once a week,” Lauren said.
“Elke is a perceptive, self-motivated violinist with a beautiful sound and great reading ability,” Lauren noted. “Her love for music is part of everything she does in our class, and she is certainly one of the instrumental pillars of the arts program. We are so proud of Elke for having been chosen for this highly regarded and competitive honor. Congratulations to her and to all of her supportive mentors and parents.”
Elke is already looking forward to taking part in the 2022 CMEA festival. “I would really love to have some company at the festival next year,” she added. “I hope some other Westover students will audition.”
As for her longer-term commitment to music, Elke said, “I definitely see myself performing. I am just not quite sure how yet.”
“I would love to continue to study throughout my academic career and beyond,” she added. “I am not currently imagining majoring in music, but I think that pursuing diverse avenues of study are important to be a well-rounded student, and I love all the different things I can do with the violin.”
“My focus is on classical pieces,” Elke explained, “but I really love music history and different genres, so I spend a lot of time playing around with fiddle music. It’s really interesting to me to hear how the instrument is used in folk music from all different parts of the world. It’s a way to appreciate other cultures and how music is important in them.”
