Senior Chelsea Wenner, has been playing her viola since fourth grade, but has been a part of Chamber Orchestra at Le Moyne since she entered the college back in 2012. She is now a senior communications major graduating this May. The experiences Chelsea has had in the Performing Arts Center have made her the woman she is today. “Being a senior is bittersweet. Orchestra is the class that never changed for me. The notes, the beats, and the people were always familiar,” says Wenner.

One of Wenner’s good friends, Vivian Phan, is the President of Chamber Orchestra and has grown and learned with Chelsea through her time playing at Le Moyne. She says, “We went to high school together and have officially gone through college together, as well as orchestra together, and I admire the person she’s become through her participation in the PAC.”

Of course, the Performing Arts Center would be nothing without its leader, Travis Newton. Wenner has known Newton since the beginning of her time at Le Moyne and appreciates his neverending work ethic. “The orchestra program wouldn’t be anything without Travis. He pushes every single section, as well as every individual in the class. He tries his best to make us sound as good as gold.” She continues to say, “After every performance I’ve ever done at Le Moyne, there hasn’t been one time when more than one person didn’t come up to me and say how amazing our performance was.”

Being involved in the PAC is one thing, but staying involved is another. As Chelsea’s fourth year approaches, she couldn’t be more thankful for all of her time she’s spent making memories in that big blue building on campus. “Playing in the orchestra has been the one thing in my life that has never changed…The PAC is home and where I can always be myself with my friends. Even my friends that are in dance, set crew, visual arts, or are actors, or singers, the PAC is our place. Even though we all have different interests within the building, we all share a special bond about expressing ourselves in our own ways. We support each other and rely on each other,” says Wenner.

Chelsea’s last concert of the semester will be a performance of Romeo and Juliet where, for the first time, she will be playing a part of the pit for a play/musical. She’s very excited and sad all at the same time. She says, “I will truly miss walking up those steps everyday to get my viola out of my locker every Monday and Wednesday…It’s officially an end of an era for me playing in the orchestra and I will never forget my time here.” Her advice to up and coming orchestra students? “Don’t take it for granted for a second. Enjoy the time you have left and love every minute of it while you can.”