Mukeil: Hey, I’ll thank you for letting me interview you.

Eleanor: No problem.

Mukeil: So how long you been playing violin for?

Eleanor: Um, I’ve been playing, I think for 10 years. I don’t actually, like when I was five or six.

Mukeil: What made you choose violin of all instruments?

Eleanor: Um, well, my parents forced me to at first, but I’m glad they did. Because, um, I actually really like it.

Mukeil: What do you like about it?

Eleanor: I don’t know. It’s fun to play. It’s, it’s fun to play.

Mukeil: What type of music do you like to play?

Eleanor: Um, I don’t know, classical music is nice, like pieces from the Romantic era are nice too.

Mukeil: What’s like, one performance or like a time that you’ve had like, a really memorable moment, or like experience for any reason?

Eleanor: There was once in this concert that I played at my old school. Um,my string like, just like.

Mukeil: Broke?

Eleanor: Yeah.

Mukeil: Like onstage?

Eleanor: Yeah, basically, I just had to, like, fake that one.

Mukeil: How long? Like how long? Were you guys into it?

Eleanor: Well, I don’t know, we just started a night.

Mukeil: Oh my god.

Eleanor: But I was in like, eighth grade. And I was stupid. And I didn’t want to, like go up to her. Like, I broke my string. So I can’t play. So I just faked it. Like, I just couldn’t play on that string. But it was fine.

Mukeil: So do you think St. Paul Academy and Summit School has helped you grow as a musician?

Eleanor: Definitely, totally um, cuz so I did the orchestra program this year. And like, we played we did like the Pops concert thing. And it was like a good like learning experience like for both performing on stage and also like, working with the group because usually, I play like individual stuff. But it’s also nice to play with like other people.

Mukeil: Do you play like outside of school?

Eleanor: I did for a little bit. I started taking private lessons. And then I also did like orchestra out of school.

Mukeil: Where?

Eleanor: It’s called GTCYS.

Mukeil: Do you like GTCYS better than SPA in terms of orchestra?

Eleanor: Well, the GTCYS orchestra program is like, a lot more like, it’s like, more intense than school orchestra. So like, personally, I think it’s more fun to play at GTCYS because the school one’s a little, it’s just like on the easier side.

Mukeil: Yeah. Okay. And are you going to continue playing violin throughout high school?

Eleanor: Yeah, I really enjoy it.

Mukeil: So do your family and friends like support the fact they’re doing violin and like your performances?

Eleanor: Yeah. They, well, yeah, my parents forced me to that sounds so bad. Okay, force me to play, but like they’re still super supportive like they come and listen to my concerts. And they’re always like, you’re good at violin. Yeah.

Mukeil: All right. Well, thank you for letting me interview.

Eleanor: Okay. Thank you.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Mukeil Rizvi

Eleanor Chen playing the violin in the orchestra room.