Local violinist makes the cut

BY CHUCK TUCK | JOURNAL REPORTER Music is a magical language unto itself that can transcend many barriers.
When a child discovers the beauty and the magic of music, that is magic in itself, and when he or she is able to share that magic it somehow makes the world a better place to live.

It was five years ago when 12-year-old Katrina Jensen first heard the sounds of a violin while at church and asked her mother what the instrument was.

“She was about seven years old,” her mother Tina Jensen said. “Somebody played the violin in church one time and she was very interested in it, and of course she didn’t know what the instrument was and she asked me what it was and I told her. I kind of caught from that, that she had an interest in it, and I asked her if she was interested in playing and she told me yes.”

From that day, her mother knew there was a genuine interest in her daughter about playing the violin. After finding a private instructor in Arlington, Katrina began playing and learning the violin.

A year ago the family was told by a music teacher at Katrina’s school that there was a youth orchestra in Everett, so the family decided to look into it further.

“Last year when her teacher at school said there was an orchestra in Everett that is for the youth and she should try out for them. We found the information and we called the Director and got her an audition and then they took her in,” Tina said.

The Everett Youth Symphony Orchestra is for children and young adults from seven years of age to 21.

Although playing violin is a passion for Katrina, her mother says that her daughter has plans of becoming a veterinarian when she gets older.
“I’m excited that she has an interest in music and I’m proud of her,” said her mother.

Often time disciplines in one area carry over to another, and her mother says she has noticed the positive attitude.

“She is, by nature, a very calm child but I absolutely see a big difference in her wanting to have straight A’s. She comes home from school everyday and gets on the internet to check her grades,” Tina said.
As for being a perfectionist, Katrina agreed.

“You could say that,” she said.
She is always looking to learn and improve.

“I love playing it and I think I like playing because I get to learn new things and play better songs,” she said.

As for the type of music she prefers, Katrina said that she likes playing everything.

“I like playing everything because it has its own kind of taste.”
Her musical interest could be attributed to both parents due to her mother’s interest in piano and playing the clarinet when she was younger.
“When Katrina talked about her father, there was laughter in her voice, she said he played the violin too, but that was a long time ago, and when he went to start again the instrument was out of tune so he decided not to play it.

Her father John said that he is just so excited for her daughter’s playing.
“Just to see how far she has come has totally blown me away,” John added.

In Katrina’s words regarding her first experience of hearing the violin, she remembers the beautiful sound.

“I think I overheard my mom say that I heard it at church and I remember one day when I heard it, I thought it was really pretty and I wanted to play exactly like that. So I think that’s how I got the interest,” Katrina said.

“She really is the kind of young lady that every parent would love to have and she really goes out of her way to do the best she can in everything,” John said.

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