Violins are the largest section of an orchestra
Throughout the 60th anniversary season of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, it has been my pleasure to shine the spotlight on our individual musicians.
This week I spoke with Susan Aylard who plays in our first violin section. The largest group of instruments in an orchestra is the violin section and they are typically separated into two different parts, first and second.
Susan started her violin studies before her third birthday at the Vancouver Academy of Music. Susan has an older brother who was studying at the time. What younger sister doesn’t want to copy everything her older brother did. She begged for lessons until the teacher finally made her a deal, “once you are out of diapers.” She started the next week.
Throughout high school, Susan studied private lessons with professor John Loban at UBC. She also participated in many local music festivals on violin. She was consistently in the winner’s circle and in her Grade 12 year she won the senior division at the BC Festival of Arts.
After graduation, Susan continued her studies in Winnipeg completing a degree in music performance at the Canadian Mennonite University and the University of Manitoba. It was here that she worked with one of Canada’s most formidable violinists, Gwen Hoebig who just celebrated 30 years as concert master of the Winnipeg Symphony. During this time, she also performed with the Sabeon Trio (violin, cello and piano) with whom she competed at the national level at Canada’s National Music Competition. Her love for orchestral playing was also given a boost when she won a place with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, which is almost a rite of passage for students before they enter the world of professional orchestral playing.
Susan has played professionally with many orchestras throughout B.C. and also with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, but she found her orchestral home with the Okanagan Symphony where she has played as a member of the first violin section for over two decades. Besides her musical contributions, Susan has become a de facto social convenor and hair stylist. Many OSO players have sported amazing updos courtesy of Susan’s creativity and talent.
Besides Susan’s substantial accomplishments as a professional classical violinist, she has also performed extensively as a fiddler. After many years of leading the “Cats and the Fiddle” and “Rough Pearl” bands, she is currently a member of the popular Okanagan band “Cod Gone Wild”. She likes to describe her style as “roughpearl fiddling.”
Her baroque (translated to Rough Pearl) classical training is definitely evident in her arrangements and performances. As well as working freelance for other artists and recordings, she has four CDs that feature her fiddle playing.
Susan’s versatility as an artist has taken her around the world where she has performed in Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Mexico, Ireland, the USA and of course, throughout Canada. Susan was a featured soloist for the OSO where she played a classical solo on the first half and joined by “Cats and the Fiddle” fiddled up a storm in the second half. Her commitment to the arts in the Okanagan was evident as she was awarded the Okanagan Arts award for her contribution to music in 2009.
Teaching is also part of her passionate music career and she has spent years developing her Suzuki teacher training to combine it with her love of fiddling. “Cripple Creek” has taken over for the “Twinkle” variations.
When not switching between violin and fiddle, she enthusiastically manages the Maples Waterfront Resort and B&B in Sorrento along with her husband and two kids.
In the past few years, Susan has added visual artist to her many accomplishments, after starting a career in visual fiber arts as well as the performing arts. With her 15-year old daughter Sarah, she started a brand called SaS Art which features wearable silk painted art pieces.
This week you can catch Susan in her upcoming St. Paddy’s day performances with “Cod Gone Wild,” for information, visit: www.codgonewild.com
--The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra next performs “Bach’s Playlist” on April 2, 3, 4. Check out okanagansymphony.com for all the details.