Since second grade, Mila Keres (11) was captivated by the sound of the violin and orchestra. As a child, attending performances with her mother sparked a curiosity that eventually led her to great success as a violinist.
“I started playing in second grade, so it has been nine years now,” Keres said. “I wanted to play it because my mom would take me to operas and I have always been interested in the pit orchestra, specifically the violin.”
Keres is the only student at the school to qualify for both the All-State Orchestra and the All-Southern Orchestra this year, two of the highest honors for high school musicians. The auditions for the orchestra start in fall, and they select the top players from each high school to play challenging pieces for an annual concert.
“I feel honored because it is a nice validation that I have been working hard, and that I have been getting better because I have never gotten into both orchestras before,” Keres said.
At All-State, Keres experienced an unconventional but beneficial rehearsal approach.
“The most special thing was all the random things our conductor made us do, which was awkward at first, but it was very beneficial,” Keres said. “He knew what he was doing and was very effective in making us sound better in the short amount of time we had to learn the repertoire.”
Keres found working with higher level musicians helped her grow.
“We had like eight hours of rehearsal a day, and I learned how to become a better listener because my rhythm and intonation have gotten better,” Keres said. “Listening with such a large orchestra too is always a different experience.”
In addition to qualifying for both orchestras, Keres has attended many other prestigious music programs.
“My most memorable memory was this past summer at this program called the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and I met so many of the most famous violinists, pianists and other musicians there and some other really good kids,” Keres said. “It was overall a great experience.”
With the time-consuming nature of practicing an instrument at such a high level, time management is key.
“You’ve got to know your priorities,” Keres said. “I come home, take a little break and start doing my homework, do something else for a little bit and then practice violin at night because I found out that works best for me.”
After many years of practice, Keres can perform challenging pieces both as a soloist and an orchestra member.
“The most challenging piece I’ve performed for a solo was Paganini Violin Concerto, and it was a lot of slow practice and trying to work on my intonation and rhythm,” Keres said. “In orchestra, the hardest piece I have played is Mahler [Symphony No.5] and I was able to play this by paying attention in sections and listening to recordings.”
Like many musicians, Keres has faced difficulties with motivation.
“I’ve felt like giving up, all the time,” Keres said. “Honestly sometimes you just have to force yourself to practice and hope it gets better because it always does, even if it is like a month or two months of feeling unmotivated. You have to remind yourself where you came from, and what you can look forward to, which is something All-State and All-Southern did for me.”
The school’s orchestra, band and jazz band teacher, Amy Gelb, reflected on Keres’s growth over the years.
“Mila is very persistent, and she knows what she wants, and she goes for it,” Gelb said. “She has a lot of grit and works really hard. She practices a lot and she always prepares every piece of music that I’ve given her … I’ve seen her grow as a leader, so she helps to run sectionals, helps her fellow musicians.”
Not only does Keres play in the orchestra, but she also does solo competitions and plays in a trio. In 2024, she won the MTAC competition called VOCE for chamber music.
“I used to play in a piano trio and we got third place at state last year, and currently I am in the competition process for this year,” Keres said.
Keres hopes to be able to continue studying music in the future.
“I’m not sure, but I want to study music a little in college either as a minor or double major,” Keres said. “I’d like to continue music because I like learning new music and meeting new people, along with continuing to better myself in something I already put a lot of work into.”
For Keres, playing the violin has not only been helpful to her musical development, but also her personal growth and communication skills.
“Playing the violin has taught me that I have to learn to communicate with other adults and kids and make friends because you have to learn from peers,” Keres said. “Teachers are really inspiring, but at other camps like All-State, your peers are also as inspiring.”
