LORI MEYER, CELLO

Earliest Memories

I heard about the orchestra from Diana Reents who is my co-worker. She had played with the orchestra for years and invited me to join. I played a video audition and submitted it to David Anderson.

I was not only new to the orchestra but also to the area, moving from Door County. I hadn’t played in an orchestra for many years because I was raising my children and where we lived there was not a group to play that fit my level or schedule.

Favorite Memories

When the Principal Cellist position opened up with the symphony, as part of the audition process, each candidate was given a concert to lead the section. I was chosen to be the Principal Cellist for Scheherazade. I was lucky to have been chosen to play this beautiful work which featured the Principal Violinist and Principal Cellist in a musical duet. When I get the chance to play slower, more lyrical passages on my cello, I am in heaven! Also, I love playing in concerts with my daughter Aurelia, who is also a cellist in the orchestra. She was the winner of the young artist competition orchestra last season and a fellow attending UW Whitewater. I was so happy and overwhelmingly proud of her and we enjoy geeking out on “all things classical music” when we see each other. I do enjoy playing the summer concerts too because the music is light and fairly easy and the audience is so appreciative. I have always been a fan of the Music Festival Ravinia, and sometimes I feel like we have our own little Ravinia Festival in Lake Geneva. It is heartwarming to see the larger crowds of people gathering in the park, with their lawn chairs, to enjoy our LGSO concerts.

Favorite Pieces

Other than “Scheherazade”, I loved being able to participate in the tail end of the Beethoven Symphonies Project. Beethoven 9 was such a large undertaking, having the 2 choirs join us. I remember being exhausted after this performance too because the symphony is quite long and takes a lot of concentration. The cellos have a difficult part. Another wonderful memory was when we performed “The Nutcracker” with a local dance studio. Although the orchestra was in the pit for the performance and didn’t get to see the dancers in action, the music is extremely difficult and I had to practice my part a lot. The end product turned out great! Recently, I performed a chamber music recital with my LGSO friends Eric Funk and Rachel Hansen. We invited another local violinist to join us and we performed Dvorak’s “American” String Quartet. We practiced on the deck outside of my house, practicing for the neighbors.