HomeMy WebLinkAboutHelen Bravenec-ViolinSunday, May 26, 1996 Section
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Serious fiddler
Consol junior sets sights on violin concert stage
hen talking about her career as a violinist,l7-
Wyear-old Helen Bravenec doesn't even mention
that she performed in Mexico at age 3 or that
she gave a solo violin performance at age 5.
Although her parents and instructors think this is
impressive, looking back doesn't interest this A&M
Consolidated High School student. Looking forward
does.
Just a junior in high school, Bravenec has set her
sights on a career as a professional violinist. Her
instructors say she'll ati:ain her goal, one that many
musicians set for themselves, but few reach.
"In all of my years of being a director (of orches-
tra), Helen is one of the few I've come across who can
be successful in a solo career," says her high school
orchestra director Ron White. "There's only a hand-
ful who make it as a soloist and a million who want
to do it." .
Bravenec wants to be one of that handful of
soloists. She's so sure abut her career choice that
she's considering little else. She plans to devote most
of her time to making he• dream come true.
"I want to go solo," Bravenec says. "But I need as
much exposure as possibe, and I need to build up
my repertoire, do more silos, get into a good music
school and have great tethers. After that, it's just
how lucky I get."
Bravenec began playir~ the violin at age 2, and the
idea was all her own, sa3 her parents Lorence
Bravenec of College Stat7n and Deborah Barton of
Wellborn. Her brothers lath played string instru-
ments, and she looked ulto them and gave it a try
herself.
Bravenec learned the :rings and began playing
simple songs when she vas 3. She learned to play the
violin by ear and began lading music at age 5.
Barton started her dauglter off on the Suzuki
method of music instrucoon. Developed in Japan,
Story by
JENNIFER
BEVERS
this method lets children learn to play instruments
by ear with the help of their parents or instructors.
When it became time for Bravenec to join the
school system's orchestra program, she was already
ahead of her musical peers. Now in high school,
she's still achieving.
Bravenec was concertmaster of the University
Interscholastic League regional orchestra her fresh-
man and junior years and has been all-state in UIL
orchestra for all three of her high school years. She
won the outstanding performance award in the all-
state solo and ensemble contest her freshman and
sophomore years.
In addition to winning awards, Bravenec is fre-
quently featured as a soloist in her school's orchestra
concerts and has given her own solo recitals, spon-
sored by her instructors, and at orchestra soloist
Please see VIOLIN, Page D7
Eagle photo/Dave McDermand
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Above, left, Bravenec's rehearsal outfit is the standard teen uniform of jeans with hales in the knees. Above, center, Bravenec confers with A&M Consolidated High School
orchestra director Ron White. Above, right, Bravenec's intensity about her art shoes as she puts bow to string during rehearsals with the high school orchestra.
Eagle photo/Butch Ireland
Violinist Helen Bravenec, 17, performs a solo with the A&M Consolidated High School Orchestra during its spring concert at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater.
Eagle photo/Dave McDerman~
Bryan-College Station Eagle Sunday, May 26, 1996 Page 07
Lifestyle
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Eagle photo/Butch Ireland
Helen Bravenec's brother, Edward, who also plays the violin, hugs his sister and presents her with flowers
following her Wolf Pen Creek performance with the A&M Consolidated High School Orchestra.