Montgomery County native Lauren Rostek comes from a musical family. Her mother has a background in voice and piano while her father and grandfather played the accordion.
She moved to North Carolina before her junior year of high school. After graduation, she spent two years on a scholarship for music performance at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
However, she had to make a tough decision. After repeatedly speaking to a private instructor, Lauren switched her major — and gave up her scholarship — to pursue teaching via a music education degree.
After five years of “full speed ahead” toward her music education degree, she has no regrets.
She opened 1st Chair Strings in 2002, a private studio for violin, bass, viola, cello, electric bass, and mandolin. Her students have played with various organizations, including Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra and Maryland All State Orchestra.
“My experience as a performance major [is a big part of] makes me the teacher that I am, and I know [what] my students are headed toward…[with] either major.”
The FSO veteran sat down with us to talk about her dream duet with a rock and roll legend, her appreciation for music, and more:
Who is your dream duet?
“Beethoven is my absolute favorite composer. To play under him certainly would be interesting. I [also] really adore Freddie Mercury, so I’d probably most like to sing with him. Maybe I would play electric bass.”
What inspires you most?
“It’s hard to say what inspires me the most because a lot of things…inspire me, but I really like nature, and I really like seeing my students perform.”
What was your first instrument?
“Flute. We weren’t allowed to start strings until sixth grade. I picked the flute…because I thought it was pretty, shiny, and very delicate looking, but I have very mild asthma. It was exasperated by playing the flute.
Without the constriction, you use a lot of air. You don’t realize until you learn to play the flute, so I was lightheaded for two years. My teacher kept saying, ‘It’ll get better’, but it didn’t get better.
When I was in fifth grade…I was watching them bow [during the sixth grade orchestra assembly], and it looked so graceful. None of them were panting into their instruments [like I was]. It just looked so civilized.
I just knew that that was what I wanted to do, so when I started sixth grade, I didn’t know which string I wanted to play. I…liked them all, and the conductor…looked at my hands and said, ‘You’re a bass player.’
[He] let me [play] whatever I want, but he was really interested in the size of my hands. He was a bass player, so he recognized that ability in me.
I played violin, [and] then I played viola. I played the cello…but I did end up playing the bass. I liked how you could just stand next to it, and you’re kind of partners.”
When and where was your first concert?
“The first one I remember is that sixth grade [orchestra assembly] when I was in sixth grade. I did a solo. I was too young to even be nervous. I didn’t have enough awareness of myself. That was a good experience.”
Why do you love music?
“It’s just something that’s very natural to me. I’ve always had music in my life. My parents are both very musical. Both of them have exposed me to a lot of music. My tastes really come from them.
There’s recordings of my mom and myself singing together when I was only 18 months old, and I love listening to those and hearing what she was hearing in me to record us singing together.”
Lauren’s grandfather and uncles were also professional musicians.
How has music changed your life?
“I definitely appreciate it a lot more than I did when I was younger. I think because it was always there, I didn’t recognize it as something so special, but as I’ve gotten older, I definitely enjoy it more.
Sometimes when I’m performing, especially…during dress rehearsals, I space out. Maybe I’ll look down at the floor and count rests, [and] then I’ll look back up and I won’t know what day it is. I don’t know what time of day, if it’s nighttime or afternoon.
That’s something that’s only started happening as I’ve gotten older and learned to relax. Music is even nicer now that I’m a bit more mature.”
To hear Lauren in our upcoming concert, Moscow On The Monocacy, click below to purchase tickets based on your seat: