Fine Arts Student of the Week: Senior finds passion, hope through music – Brainerd Dispatch

Grade: Senior.

Age: 17.

Art focus: Orchestra.

Instrument: Viola.

Proudest fine arts achievement: I take a lot of pride in my flexibility. In the past two years, our high school’s musical program has chosen musicals that don’t have any viola music for the pit orchestra, so I’ve had to become very adaptable to learning and interpreting the different clefs. I’m currently working on the Violin 2 part for our upcoming musical, “Anastasia.”

Adviser nomination: “Shelby is an absolute pillar of the BHS Orchestra program,” adviser Leslie Zander said. “Ever since freshman year, I have admired her confidence as a musician and human. Shelby is a fearless player, helping lead every viola section in which she plays — BHS Chamber Orchestra, pit orchestra, conference honors orchestra, or community orchestra. Shelby also volunteers to help fellow musicians, especially younger or less experienced ones, in all of these settings. It has been a joy to teach Shelby all the way from 6th grade through senior year. Congratulations!”

Artist most admired: Phil Ochs. He may have been a lesser known figure of the 1960s folk revival, but to me his music was even more powerful than some of his more famous contemporaries like Bob Dylan. He used his medium of art to protest the political climate he found himself in, like the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. My favorite song of his is “Remember Me,” a ballad from the perspective of an unknown soldier who was a casualty of World War II. The brutality of WWII is juxtaposed with the tender pleading of the soldier asking you — the listener — to not forget him when you see oppression and injustice happening right in front of you. We usually imagine things like the Nazis and the Klu Klux Klan to be a thing of the past, but these problems still live in our world, and when we see it happening before our own eyes, we have a choice — turn our heads and pretend it isn’t happening, or do something about it. Phil Ochs’ music fills me with the hope that I too can use my music as a tool to change the world for the better.

What got you interested in playing the viola? I thought it would make me cooler and more interesting than if I chose the violin.

Favorite piece you’ve performed: “Molly on the Shore” by Percy Aldridge Grainger will always have my heart.

Describe your leadership style as a viola section leader: From experience, I know that being in the back of the orchestra means you need a good section leader who knows when they need to come in and what note they need to play. I try my best to be that kind of leader.

What do you enjoy most about being in orchestra? The people in it. Our Chamber Orchestra is pretty tight knit and we have a lot of fun playing together.

Other extracurricular activities: I’m a member of the BHS Multicultural Club!

Dream job: In my perfect dream world, I’m a part-time paralegal and a part-time member of a pit orchestra.

Favorite subject: AP Government.

Favorite movie: “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie” (2004).

Favorite TV show: “Better Call Saul.”

Favorite book: “Blood Meridian” by Cormac McCarthy.

Favorite song: “Fire in the Hole” by Steely Dan.

Favorite musical artist: Nine Inch Nails.

Favorite food: Butter chicken.

Hobbies: Music, sketching, painting, scrapbooking, video games, movie logging (I love you, IMDB).

Parents: Amber Lee and Michael Lee.