Minnesota Varsity: Where are They Now? - Sarrah Bushara

Where Are They Now? spotlights Minnesota Varsity Featured and Showcase Artists from 2011 to 2014.

Oboist Sarrah Bushara of Eden Prairie was a Minnesota Varsity 2014 Showcase Artist. She recently contacted Classical MPR's Christine Sweet to share her experiences of the past year.

Sarrah Bushara, 2014 Showcase Artist
Oboe
Age: 16
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minn.
Attends: Full-time PSEO at University of Minnesota — Twin Cities

The privilege of performing for Minnesota Varsity has had an invaluable impact on my musical life. The artistic community of Minnesota continues to humble and inspire me, and after having had the honor of performing on Classical MPR, I have become even more appreciative of the interactions I have had with other artists. Since the Showcase Concert, I have continued to perform with the Minnesota Youth Symphonies and Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. Highlights of which include a collaborative performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with MYS and virtuoso pianist Nachito Herrera at a benefit concert for El Sistema, as well as the GTCYS tour to Spain, which culminated with a performance of selections from Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony and Copland's Appalachian Spring at the International Festival of Music and Dance in Granada. I was fortunate enough to reunite with some of these fantastic young musicians over the summer when I performed with the All-State Symphonic Band at St. Olaf College. While I was there, I was coached by Professor Dana Maeda and Maestro Scott Hagen, who completely transformed my perception of musical performance. I also enjoyed playing with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra at the Bloomington Summer Fete Concert. As a composer, I continued my annual summer studies at Junior Composers Studio where I got to work with local musicians and film composer Richard Werbowenko in scoring a short film.

This year, I will continue playing chamber music with Trio Tesoro, and with GTCYS and MYS as well as with the University of Minnesota Symphonic Band. I was also selected to the National Association for Music Education All-National Symphonic Orchestra and will be performing at the NAfME Festival in Nashville on October 29, 2014. As a soloist, I look forward to performing in the Salon se Leve concert series for the second time this November. I will continue to study oboe with Julie Madura and John Snow, as well as music composition with Dr. Sarah Miller and local composer Edie Hill as part of the Schubert Club Composer Mentorship Program.

I wish the best of luck to all of those submitting to Minnesota Varsity this year — it is an inspiring and transformative experience.