Alyssa Boxhill grew up in a small New York suburb, 20 minutes north of The Big Apple. She earned a degree in English literature in 2001 at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York. Boxhill landed a job in Washington, D.C., and decided to commute from Frederick — until she fell in love with the town.
She left the world of books and big cities for graphic design at Frederick Memorial Hospital, but her creativity remains in her love for music. Boxhill has played with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra since 2004. We chat with the violinist, and here’s what she had to say:
Who is your dream duet?
“Ever since she rose to public prominence as National Security Advisor during the first Bush administration, and I learned that she has a penchant for Brahms, I’ve wanted to play Brahms’ Sonatas with Condoleezza Rice.”
Who or what inspires you the most?
“I actually find myself most inspired by music and the composers that have given it to us and nature, specifically being outdoors and being able to experience it. Combining the two is sometimes necessary to maintain my sanity.”
What is it about music that you love?
“I really enjoy the experience of growing to love a piece of music by learning and performing it, sharing that process with other musicians, and then being able to associate hearing it with the memories I have of those experiences.”
When did you first get involved with music?
“I began taking violin lessons at the age of 4.”
Where was your first concert?
“At the Manhattan School of Music [in New York]. As far as I can remember, I think I was 5 or 6 years old, this was part of an informal play-in class known as Music Hour, when performers got up on stage in front of an audience of peers and parents.
Each performer was instructed to announce the name of his or her composition and its composer. I got up to the stage, turned toward the audience and proudly announced the piece I was going to play — a Bach minuet that I mistakenly attributed to Shinichi Suzuki. It made sense to me, since the book of pieces from which I’d learned the piece was credited to his name. The instructor in charge of Music Hour corrected me, and I ran from the stage, ashamed and embarrassed. I don’t actually remember whether I got back up to play the piece.”
Why did you choose the violin?
“My dad brought me to a Suzuki play-in class, sat me down in the back of the classroom, and asked, ‘Would you like to do this?’ I looked at him and said, ‘Sure.’”
How has music changed your life?
“Probably in more ways than I can count. Among those, it’s given me an outlet for both creative and emotional expression, opportunities to perform amazing music with incredible people, self-confidence and determination, and some of the best friends I could ever ask for.”
Catch Boxhill in our fourth concert of the 20th Anniversary season on May 6, 2017 in Jack B. Kussmaul Theater. Get your tickets today: