quick with all of that and it’s hard to play. “ Wortmann took a hiatus for four years to earn her master’s degree in health care administration at USD and returned to playing in 2002. While working full time and caring for her family, she played when time allowed and began playing regularly after retiring in 2006. “We had a large family, so it was hit and miss all the time,” Wortmann said. “Since I’ve been retired now I’ve started taking private lessons again, so I come as much as I can.” Evander had been playing the violin for a majority of her life and began with school lessons. She played in the orchestra while attending graduate school at USD. After school, Evander worked as a music teacher in the Yankton School District and taught all grades, including being the conductor of the high school orchestra. While teaching, she would sporadically play at USD for Dr. Rongstad when an open spot needed to be filled. She even taught herself to play the viola and has spent time in the viola section, where she plays now. She says the instruments are played the same and only differ by one cleft. “I played in the first violin section, I’ve played in the second violin second, I’ve played in the viola section just depending on what Dr. Rongstad needed, but I was teaching full time and I didn’t feel like I could devote two nights per week down here,” Evander said. She is in her first year of retirement, so can now commit to the two nights per week of rehearsal and comes to Vermillion regularly. The two play in the string section towards the front of the orchestra where they sit amongst a group of college students. “I think they put the broader instruments towards the back because they can come forward a little more. The other instruments are towards the front because they are not quite as loud,” Wortmann speculated. “When you sit in front of a brass player you should probably wear ear plugs because it is loud.” The violin and viola are played similar, but the sound is a little different with the violin producing a higher tone and violas are a middle tone. “First violins play really high sometimes and they mainly have the melody,” Evander said. “Second violins kind of have the harmony under the first violins’ melody. Violas sometimes play with the violin and sometimes they play with the cellos.” When playing the musicians have to pay attention to a number of elements around them, including the conductor, music and seat mates. “You have to watch the people in front of you, but it’s easy because the bows, so you can kind of see, but we follow along with the music and we look at the conductor,” Evander said. As a teacher, Evander has been in front of the orchestra as the conductor and says it’s a lot less pressure to be playing in the seats. As a player, she just has to follow the conductor instead of tell the entire orchestra how to play. “You are really in charge when you are the conductor so you make all the decisions, you know, how fast we go and how loud it is and the kind of articulation,” she said. “When you are in the section there is like a pecking order. The people up in the front, they are the leaders. They follow the conductor.” As a section player, both Wortmann and Evander follow the section leaders. It can be a lot to think about while playing, but it is rewarding to play in front of an audience at the end of the semester. In the last 10 years and earlier, both women have seen many students come through the orchestra, so just about every four years the entire orchestra is all new members. vORCHESTRA continued on page 22 Hunter Douglas offers a wide variety of window fashions in an array of fabrics, textures and colors. Contact us today. We’re the Hunter Douglas experts, guiding you in the selections that’ll make your home even more beautiful––whatever your style. Applause® honeycomb shades Mozaks Floors and More Silhouette® window shadings 1205 Broadway Ave Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 9:00 Am - 5:00 PM (605)-665-9728 www.mozaksfloorsandmore.com Vignette® Modern Roman Shades Window fashions that have every style covered. ©2017 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas or their respective owners.4429159 HERVOICEvMARCH/APRIL 2017v21