Freshman Hrithikesh Kotha glides a bow across the strings of a cello, an instrument that represents a major shift in his life and one he never imagined he would end up playing. Originally, he played the saxophone in Miller Middle School’s band and thoroughly enjoyed his experiences there. But one night after finishing his homework, Kotha sat in sluggish afternoon light and scrolled through his YouTube recommendations in search of background music to help him relax. He saw countless videos featuring the latest pop releases. Some Anirudh Ravichandar. Some Ed Sheeran. He also saw a video of the Film Symphony Orchestra playing the Avengers theme song. 

“Marvel is something I’ve loved since childhood, so I wanted to hear how they might have recorded the music,” Kotha said. “In the video, there’s a huge wind and strings ensemble. I loved how they sounded together: the wind, the strings and the dynamic contrast they had. It had a lasting effect on me.”

Kotha realized that many cinematic soundtracks had both brass and string instruments. The highest notes of a piece are typically handled by instruments like the clarinet or violin. But after watching the Avengers theme song playing triumphantly through his computer screen, he was curiously and specifically drawn to the beauty of the violins. 

“I thought, ‘Wow, these instruments are cool, and they’re playing all these interesting parts,’” Kotha said. “I really liked how you could change the length of the string instead of pressing buttons or blowing air; it was beautiful. And I always wondered, ‘What if I could do the same?’”

There was only one small problem: Kotha had no experience with strings, and most people in orchestra did. Despite the challenge, on the day of his course selection, Kotha asked his band teacher if he could add the class to his ninth-grade schedule requests. Fortunately, his teacher said yes, and Kotha joined the class after the summer ended.

“I originally wanted to play violin — that was my interest — but [my teacher] said no beginner violins because the standards are really high,” Kotha said. “So he asked, ‘Do you want to play the cello?’ And I did.”

The cello — although not the instrument he originally desired — came to be an inseparable part of his musical journey, along with its own set of accomplishments and challenges. It required an entirely new skill set. He no longer had to blow into the instrument or practice his breath control; instead, he needed to develop dexterity in his fingers. His left hand wasn’t used to the weight of the bow, and he had to learn a different way of curling his thumb. Every time he practiced, he developed blisters because the strings were sharp: something he wasn’t used to.

But Kotha wasn’t relearning everything. He already knew how to sight-read difficult pieces. He had experience with how notes worked. He knew how to play with groups of people, melding a symphony of voices into a singular, beautiful melody. Still, transitioning to a new type of instrument required significant work in learning the basics of a cello.

“At first, I didn’t want to play the cello anymore; I wanted to quit,” Kotha said. “But since I already had a lot of experience with saxophone, I was able to grasp it quickly. I started to enjoy it because it reminded me of my middle school band experience, with classmates around me and a nice atmosphere for playing. I tried to look at it a little bit more optimistically.” 

So Kotha continued, and gradually the pieces became easier and more interesting. The pain went away, and playing the cello finally transformed into something fun. 

“When I was little and I saw people playing instruments, I used to always wonder how they could turn a bunch of dots on lines into music,” Kotha said. “I feel happy that that question is now answered.”

Currently, Kotha enjoys playing the cello in orchestra with his friends. However, finding his footing in a new class also came with challenges. 

“At first I thought it wouldn’t be competitive, and then as I kept on playing, it proved to be harder than some of the viola parts, too,” Kotha said. “I was kind of intrigued, so I kept practicing and trying my best on everything. I’m happy that I took the class because learning a new instrument is an experience that you can’t forget.”

Now, he has carved out a new understanding of himself and his identity as a musician through this experience. 

“I feel like the violins and cellos really work together to get the piece out into the audience,” Kotha said. “My role as a cello player, and our role as a group, is to continue the piece and work in harmony with the violins.”

 But Kotha isn’t planning to stop at just two instruments. After all, his original dream was to learn the violin, and even farther down the road, he wants to be able to mimic the robust and vibrant sound of an orchestra, all by himself. 

“Even now, I want to play violin, because it’s never too late to start,” Kotha said. “Cello playing will help me with violin in terms of bow hold or musical phrasing. And I always wonder, ‘What if.’ I can record samples of myself playing each instrument and layer them so it sounds good. I’m interested in music production and want to see how all the instruments mix together to make what we hear on television.”