November SOTM: Angela Tan

As November comes to a rapid finish, one passionate student has been dedicating herself to orchestra and bringing her best effort to class every day. Please congratulate Angela Tan for being the November Student of the Month!

Angela Tan is a sophomore who plays the cello in Premier Orchestra. From an early age, Angela felt intrigued whenever she listened to music, especially classical. She would even dream about playing the instruments featured in the music she would listen to.

“When it came time for the elementary school instrument showcase, I really fit in as an orchestra [student] since I don't like to be out of breath,” said Angela, referring to how most band instruments require precise breath control. “I thought that playing string instruments was cool so I decided to give it a go.”

Despite having played the cello since middle school, Angela actually started her musical journey in fourth grade with the violin and piano. She ultimately switched to cello because there weren’t as many cello players in her middle school orchestra. Additionally, her older brother was a cello player, which greatly influenced her decision. She still continues to play the violin and finds it to be something enjoyable to play in her spare time.

Angela is not only motivated by her passion for music, but by the orchestra community, which further drives her love for music. “One of my favorite things about orchestra is not the orchestra itself but the people”, she said.

In addition to being in orchestra, Angela does many activities out of her genuine spirit and commitment to helping others. When Angela has time, she loves volunteering, whether it be for LEO Club, Tri-M, or other organizations.

Angela wholeheartedly stated, “Although it makes me really tired, the effort and seeing people's smiles makes it worth it at the end.”

She also mentioned how music has been beneficial to her in these activities by teaching her an assortment of important life skills, such as leadership and self-discipline.

A fun fact about Angela is that she likes to compose and arrange music as an outside activity. She is currently composing and arranging various orchestra pieces and other short pieces for fun.