Newsletter
(last updated March 3, 2010)
"Well - what news?"
Orchestra Spotlight on...Amanda Laudwein (Viola)
Please tell us when and how you got started playing the viola.
Violin in 3rd grade at school (couldn’t even get the clarinet to squeak) then viola in 8th grade as they didn’t have any and violas don’t squeak as much as violins.
Do you play any other instruments?
Piano – but gave it away when my kids were old enough to need supervision on the computer.
How long have you been playing for VLOC?
1985!
What other group(s) do you play for?
Montgomery Philharmonic, Inc. (I’m Treasurer and Strings Manager), and occasionally for Damascus Theater Company, Friday Morning Music Club and other local performing groups when asked and have time.
What do you do when you're not playing music?
I work for Maryland Cooperative Extension as Montgomery County’s Nutrient Management Advisor (poop not food); I have a very part-time business as an Integrated Pest Management consultant (bugs, diseases, cultural problems in landscapes and nurseries); I’m a fairly active member of the Professional Grounds Management Society, DC Branch (was on their Board for 10 years in various capacities including President for 2 years); I’m a Montgomery County Master Gardener (10 years - was VP for 2 years) mainly as a member of their Speakers Bureau. My favorite talk to give is Good Bugs/Bad Bugs.
Do any of your family members play an instrument?
They all tried one but prefer attending to playing – unlike me! They’ve been coming to VLOC’s shows since they were 4. They are now 18, 23 and almost 26!
Do you have a favorite G&S piece? If so, which one?
RUDDIGORE!!
If you have a favorite, why do you like that particular one?
I love ghosts and Mad Margaret.
Any other favorite pieces or composers?
Anything big – Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, etc. Also I love jazz – especially swing.
You handle the t-shirts for each show. How did you get started doing that?
The woman who had been doing it moved and we started getting complaints about not having one so I offered to do it about 7 years ago.
(Many thanks to David Dubov for conducting this interview)
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