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Impromptu - September 2006
photo by Kirsten Beckerman
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ELLEN PENDLETON TROYER has played for audiences all over the world, and she finds the under-10 crowd
to be her favorite. “A 7-year-old is not trained to be that polite,” says Troyer, a BSO first violinist. “If
you play for them and you say, ‘Did you like that?’ they’ll actually tell you what they think.”
Troyer had been involved in the BSO educational outreach program “Arts Excel” since 1995, and in 1996, she
wrote and performed a children’s concert called “Music Talks!” The concert, which involved the full orchestra,
used stories and sounds to spark kids’ imaginations.
She’s found other ways to light that spark as well, going into the audience before children’s concerts, showing
children (and their parents!) her violin. “A lot of the parents and grandparents— they’d never admit it,
but they’re having as much fun as the kids,” she says. “Getting down and having one-on-one contact is really
valuable. It forges a connection. ”That connection teaches Troyer something about her playing as well: “Children
notice absolutely everything. Seeing the world through their eyes, you start to notice everything, too.”
Troyer has a child of her own now—2-year-old Carly, who comes with her dad to every children’s concert.
“Now I have more of a reason to get in kids’ faces,” she says. “I want my daughter to see that this
is important.”—Catherine Pierre
Read more about Ellen
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