While many teenagers dread the hours their parents force them to spend on practicing their musical instrument, junior Neerja Thakkar sincerely enjoys playing the violin. “I wanted to play the violin because it was different and I loved the sound. One of my teachers at my school taught violin, so I started taking lessons from him,” Thakkar said.

Unlike some teenage musicians, Thakkar also enjoys performing. Thakkar plays in the Minnesota Youth Symphonies. She plays in a quartet and attends a chamber music camp. “My favorite thing about performing is being able to reflect on how far you have come. Even when performances don’t go well, I can learn so much from them and appreciate how far I have come,” Thakkar said.