In any piece of music, many key factors go into producing good, quality music. One of the most important would be, of course, the musician and their instrument. Most musicians today began playing their instruments at a very young age. And Eliza Lang, a Junior at Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut, is no exception.  

Way back in fourth grade, Lang’s elementary school began their orchestra program. Joining the program, Lang decided to pick the cello as her instrument of choice. “I actually wanted to play the bass but my mother told me that it was too large,” especially for such a young child. But all in all, it seemed to have worked out, because, now, at the age of sixteen, Lang is still playing the cello.

Most people would have shied away from such an intimidating and huge instrument, but not Eliza Lang. She explained that she, “picked the cello because I liked the range that it has. It can go both really low, and really high.” 

Now, Lang is both a part of the high school’s orchestra program and a private symphony. She prefers playing with the private symphony because most of her peers at school, “do [the school’s program] just to fulfill their art requirement.” Also, the symphony orchestra has a band, too, so there are many more different and advanced pieces that can be performed. 

In the realm of cellists, there is one name that most people can recognize: Yo-Yo Ma. So it is no surprise that when asked, Eliza explained that one of her favorite pieces to perform would have to be Yo-Yo Ma’s, “Bach Cello Suite”. It is a very long piece of music and has had many renditions made of it over the years. “It is a really cool piece to play because overall, it is very well known and most cellists have played.” She then went on to tell how many cellists,” have their interpretations of it, so when I was learning it, I got to put my spin on it.” 

Due to the Cornivirus pandemic, there have been some hurdles in Lang’s musical endeavors. In her school’s orchestra, the entire school has gone remote, so there are no practices taking place. However, when her school was in-person, (following a hybrid model), only half of the orchestra would practice together. This made it hard because not having the proper ratio of each instrument made the music, “sound a little rancid.” In the private symphony, the musicians have been put into small, chamber groups. “It takes away a lot of the culture and group experiences that would normally be there.”

Eliza Lang has met many people through playing the cello and, “encourages people to play the cello because it’s really just a [good] vibe and also a really great way to meet new people and to learn to work in a group.” 

Playing the cello has been a crucial part of Lang’s life since fourth grade, and the love for the art is seeming not to fade anytime soon. Not even COVID can get in between her, and her cello.