May SOTM: Krista Lombardi

May was packed full with events such as Orchestra Council voting, orchestra auditions, and the annual Pops Concert. Through all these events, one student shined the brightest. She is a talented violist who is also her section leader in Symphony Orchestra. Congratulations to Krista Lombardi, the May Student of the Month!

Krista was inspired to start music by watching the “big kids playing songs” in an elementary school orchestra and her father, a guitar teacher. She was also infatuated by the epicore music genre, a mixture of rock band, choir, and orchestra; she heavily recommends listening to it. Her musical journey really took off when she picked the viola in elementary school. However, the way she picked the viola was unexpected to say the least.

Krista picked the viola by accident when she and her mom wrote down the viola as her first pick instead of the violin, the instrument she wanted. They thought the violin and viola were the same instrument. Despite this mishap, it turned into a happy accident. Krista stated that the viola became enjoyable for her because, “it’s a unique instrument with a deeper, more rich sound.”

“[Music] is a form of art that truly reaches out to the soul in a spiritual way, and you don’t even have to see it; you just feel it, and your imagination takes it from there,” Krista passionately stated.

Music has impacted her life by being a de-stressor and a great way to make friends. Krista said that the friends she made in orchestra have been “a great motivation booster and support system” for her. She believes that playing an instrument is “not a waste of time” because of the discipline and growth it taught her and other musicians.

As if being a section leader in Symphony Orchestra isn’t already a major feat, Krista is also a section leader in the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra and a member of the Crescendo Young Musicians Guild (CYMG). She has also received State Honors in Certificate of Merit level 8 and level 10 and played for the SCSBOA All-Southern Honor Orchestra. Last but not least, she will participate in a program called Chamber Music Institution/SoCal this summer. All of these accomplishments are huge milestones in one’s musical career! Next time you see Krista, please congratulate her for all these amazing accomplishments!

In her free time, Krista enjoys taking naps and took up composing as a hobby. In the future, she wants to utilize this hobby to eventually become a video game composer. A fun fact about her is that she doesn’t have a great spice tolerance and can only handle a few Takis if someone offered her some.