Help Make My Music Dream A Reality

Hi! My name is Sarah Catherine and I'm 21 years old. I grew up in a tight nit, small, community. My parents are both public school teachers – my mom teaches third grade and my dad is a high school band director. I started learning violin when I was 5, in our public school system. I started studying privately when I reached the second grade. I participated in school orchestra, our local youth orchestra, and later on in high school I did both senior regional orchestra and all state orchestra. My Junior year of high school I won a local concerto competition and performed with our youth orchestra. That performance was when I decided that I wanted to pursue music. During my senior year, I auditioned at some music schools along the east coast of the U.S. and ended up at Shenandoah Conservatory where I spent my freshman year. However, during my late years in high school and my freshman year of college I fell into the grips of Anorexia Nervosa. By the end of the summer of 2013, it was decided that I couldn't go back to school because I was too unhealthy. I ended up needing to be hospitalized at Eating Recovery Center in Denver Colorado for 3 months at the start of 2014. In order for me to survive, it was necessary that I be at this intense level of treatment. Treatment where the cost is upwards of $3,000.00 PER A DAY. After 3 months of inpatient treatment and partial hospitalization treatment I came home to my outpatient treatment team. This has been a HUGE financial burden to my parents who are both public school teachers.

Since finally gaining control over my eating disorder and going through intensive treatment, I am now on the other side of the illness - the side where you clean up the wreckage and the aftermath.  Prior to treatment, it was necessary for me to go 6 months without taking violin lessons or participating in anything music-related due to my health. However I am very proud to say that 2015 has been different. This year I auditioned at 6 music schools/conservatories: University of Michigan, Florida State University, Indiana University, University of Houston, University of North Texas, and East Carolina University. The price of these schools is very high, particularly with them all being out of state – ranging from about $16,000.00 to almost $60,000 per a year. Not to mention, transfer students are at the back of the line for scholarship consideration.

I'm a fighter. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be alive today. Music is my passion. I love to play all sorts of music! I have a studio where I teach 8 precious elementary aged students. My goal is to pursue music because I want to share my life experiences with those around me. I want to share all the beauty of our day to day lives, the beauty of individuals, the beauty of each and everyone's journey's...I want to provide people with the same hope and inspiration that was provided for me. I also feel as though this is God's calling for me. I want to share his glory, love, and power through the blessings he has bestowed upon me.





Here is a copy of my resume for anyone who is interested:

Sarah Catherine Straw
Resume

Education:
2012-2013 Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA
2008-2012 E.C. Glass High School, Lynchburg, VA
2005-2008 Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation, Lynchburg, VA

Music Teachers:
2013-Present Ms. Linda Schroeder, National Symphony Orchestra
2013 (summer) Ms. Amy Barlowe (Meadowmount School of Music)
2012-2013 Ms. Akemi Takayama, Shenandoah Conservatory
2010, 2011 (summer) Dr. Shin Lin Tsai (Tanglewood Institute of Music)
2001-2012 Mrs. Ellen Habitzruther, Lynchburg College
2010-2011 Dr. Wanchi Huang, James Madison University
1999-2005 Mrs. Ginger Paris

Summer Music Camps:
2013 Meadowmount School of Music
2012 Wintergreen Summer Music Academy
2011 Boston University's Tanglewood Institute of Music (BUTI)
2010 Boston University's Tanglewood Institute of Music
2009 Strings International Music Festival with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra
2008 Performing Arts Camp at Shenandoah Conservatory
2007 Virginia Commonwealth University Summer Strings camp
2000-2006 Suzuki Summer Strings camp at Sweet Briar College

Masterclasses/Q&As:
Peter Zazofsky 2011
Audubon String Quartet 2011
Brendan Conway 2012
Hilary Hahn, Joshua Bell, Malcolm Lowe, Gil Shaham, Yo Yo Ma, Joseph Silverstein, summers 2010 and 2011 (BUTI)

Orchestra:
School Orchestras:
Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra
2012-2013
Mr. Jan Wagner, conductor

E.C. Glass Chamber Orchestra
2009-2011 (Concertmaster)
Mrs. Deliece Blanchard, conductor

E.C. Glass Concert Orchestras
2008-2009 (Concertmaster) and 2011-2012
Mrs. Deliece Blanchard, conductor

E.C. Glass Pit orchestra
“Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Spring 2012 (Concertmaster)
Mr. Larry Seipp, conductor

E.C. Glass Pit Orchestras
“The Music Man”
Spring 2010 (Concertmaster)
Mr. Larry Seipp, conductor

Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School Concert Orchestra
2005-2008 (Concertmaster)
Mrs. Deliece Blanchard, conductor

Various Orchestras:
Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra
2009-present
Mr. Bruce Habitzruther, conductor

Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church Christmas Orchestra
2014 (Concertmaster)
Mrs. Peggy Bettcher, director

Lynchburg College Orchestra
Fall 2013, Fall 2006
Dr. Oidea Hatcher, conductor

Shenandoah Conservatory Pit Orchestra
“Sweet Charity”
Concertmaster
Fall 2012
Dr. Thomas Albert, conductor

Virginia All State Orchestra
2009, 2011, 2012

Senior Regional Orchestra
2009, 2010 (Concertmaster), 2011 (Assistant Concertmaster), 2012

Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra
2001-2012 (Concertmaster 2008-2012)
Mr. Bruce Habitzruther, conductor

Paul Laurence Dunbar Pit Orchestra
“Willy Wonka” (Concertmaster)
Spring 2012
Mr. Albert Carter, conductor

Young Artist Orchestra (Boston University Tanglewood's Institute)
Summer 2011
Conductors: Paul Haas, Mei Ann Chen, David Hoose

Young Artist Orchestra (Boston University Tanglewood's Institute)
Summer 2010
Conductors: Paul Haas, David Hoose, Frederico Cortese

Strings International Music Festival with the Philadelphia Orchestra
Summer 2009
“Gold Orchestra” (Assistant Principal, 2nd violin)

James Madison University “Spring String Thing”
Spring 2009 (Assistant Concertmaster)
Dr. Robert McCashin, conductor

Forest Presbyterian Church Orchestra
2008-2013 (Concertmaster)
Mr. Harold Tipton, conductor


Certificates and Awards:
2015- Performance with pianist Gustavo Romero (February 20, 2015)
2014- Solo performance in partnership with the Rivermont Area Food Pantry
2013- Selected to perform for Forte Chamber Music's benefit recital in Lynchburg VA, May 2013
2013- Performed Vivaldi's Four Seasons as a soloist with the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, conductor – Bruce Habitzruther
2012- Awarded a merit scholarship to Shenandoah Conservatory ($15,000.00 yearly)
2012- Winner of the Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra Leadership Scholarship ($750.00)
2012 – Winner of the “Festival In The Park” Young Artist Scholarship contest ($1,000.00)
2011- Winner of the Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition
2011- (summer) Merit Scholarship to attend Boston University's Tanglewood Institute of Music
2010 – Selected to perform in “Churches of Urban Ministries” Summer Music Recital Series, June
2009-James Madison University's “Spring String Thing” Conductors Choice Award and scholarship (500.00)
2001-2009- Auditioned and Selected to perform in Lynchburg City Schools “Honor Recital Program”
2008 and 2004- selected for the “Optimist Clubs Art Achievement” Award

Other Musical Endeavors Include:
2015- Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church, choir member
2011-2012 – Piano Lessons – Ms. Rosie Troxel
2011-2012 – E.C. Glass High School Chamber Choir member
2011 – High School Honors Choir, Alternate
2010 – E.C. Glass High School “Acabellas”
2005-2008 – Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation, Choir
2007-2008 – Marmee in “Little Women”, The Queen in “Once Upon a Mattress”, Gwendolen in “The Importance of Being Earnest”
2006-2007 – Gabriella in “High School Musical”, Actor D in “Cut”, Assistant Student Director of “You Can't Take it With You.”
2005-2006 – Mouse in “Cinderella”
2003-2005 – Piano Lessons – Ms. Helen Mensink

Personal:
“I don’t really want to become normal, average, standard. I want merely to gain in strength, in the courage to live out my life more fully, enjoy more, experience more. I want to develop even more original and more unconventional traits”
― Anaïs Nin, The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 1: 1931-1934





feel free to check out some of my websites:
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/sarah-catherine-straw/a2/a3a/621
https://www.youtube.com/user/sarahcatherinestraw/videos
http://sstraw11.wix.com/sarahcatherinestr