Mackenzie Lewis and Katie Donovan
Sports Editor and Reporter
When it comes to playing an instrument, the saying, “practice makes perfect” can hold special meaning for aspiring musicians, such as junior cellist Emily Azzarito.
By dedicating herself to a time consuming practice regimen, Emily has refined her cello skills to near perfection. “Emily has a level of devotion to her music and the cello that I don’t encounter much, she has put countless hours into practicing and taking lessons,” NCHS orchestra teacher Leo Ficks said.
Emily first discovered her passion for the cello in the third grade. “After starting to play, the cello became part of my identity,” she said. “I just fell in love with it so I had to keep on playing. It wasn’t something I ever wanted to stop.”
From then on, Emily proceeded to win numerous competitions, including the American Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition her freshman year, and both the Victor Norman Competition and the Musical Club of Hartford Concerto Competition her junior year.
Aside from performing in competitions, Emily finds time to perform with local music ensembles including the New Canaan High School Orchestra, a string quartet of her friends from different towns, and the Norwalk Youth Symphony. “I’m in the Norwalk Youth Symphony, which I’ve been doing since fifth grade and I love it,” she said. “I’m the first chair of the principle orchestra there. It’s a really amazing organization and I love all the people.”
Emily has also earned a spot on the All-State Orchestra and has been nominated the Principal of the Regional Orchestra.
Although she has already received much recognition, Emily tries to prioritize practicing in her schedule, which she does between seven to ten hours a week. “It’s definitely hard to balance school work and cello,” Emily said. “If I could be where I want to be, I would be practicing two hours everyday after school, in addition to all the rehearsals with quartet, orchestra, and symphony, but that’s not possible with school.”
While Emily practices, she makes sure to repeat tricky passages in her music. She said that in order to make sure she has the greatest success with a piece, she repeats specific, challenging parts so that she can train her brain to play them proficiently.
Emily also plans impressionistic aspects of her performances. “During practice time I make a decision about what underlying message I’d like to communicate through the music, like sorrow or regret or triumph,” she said. “Then comes the really hard task of figuring out how to convey that feeling using just my cello, a bow, and all the techniques I’ve developed over the past nine years.”
Although Emily said that school work burdens her freedom to practice the cello, her contributions to the NCHS orchestra have not gone unnoticed. “It’s nice for a teacher to see that high level of commitment to an instrument. In orchestra we get all kinds of levels of commitment, which is fine, but it’s really rewarding to work with someone that dedicated,” Mr. Ficks said.
And when Emily is not refining her own skills, she teaches cello to younger musicians at New Canaan Music, where she works with eleven pianists and fellow cellists.
Mr. Ficks believes that Emily’s assumption of a teaching role at New Canaan Music has helped her to develop more as a student. “I think that it’s great for Emily to teach because when you aren’t a student, the other side of music comes out,” he said. “Teaching forces you to not only think about yourself and what you’re doing with music, but it opens up another perspective of music.”
Even with Emily’s high school career ending within the next year, she doesn’t plan on lessening her dedication to the cello. “With college, I’m not sure if I want to go to Conservatory and dedicate my whole life to the cello, but I’m definitely going to never stop playing.”
Mr. Ficks said that he believes Emily will continue to contribute as much to the music world going forward as she has to the orchestra program at NCHS. “Emily is such a unique and special student. I think it will be a long time before someone is in the orchestra program that brings what she brings to the table.”
Whether or not she chooses to solely focus on music in the future, Emily said that she always wants the cello to be a part of her life. “If I wasn’t a cellist, I would be somewhat confused as to who I am,” Emily said. “The cello has helped develop my creativity and self.”
Watch Emily play the cello and talk about her experience with music:
