Montana Lee Wilson
My Love affair with Music
Music has been an important part of my life since a young age. At age seven I began studying violin privately and performed in many recitals. At age 12 I began studying privately with Assistant Concertmaster of the Florida Orchestra, Lei Liu. From there, I went on to play in the first violin section of the Pinellas Youth symphony while also participating in an all strings group, Serenade Strings. During this time in my life, I began to pick up horn in my school’s band program and quickly fell in love with it. As I entered High School, I became a member of the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts and began taking lessons with the Third Horn of the Florida Orchestra, Carolyn Wahl. By age 16 I was playing horn in the Pinellas Youth Symphony and later joined a Wind Quintet through the same Youth Orchestra. With the Leadership Conservatory for the arts, I participated in many Leadership developmental workshops and classes. I also had the opportunity to play in Toronto, Atlanta, and New York with the Tarpon Springs Wind Ensemble and I've won many soloist awards at festivals. I have also traveled to Bands of America competitions with the Tarpon Springs Outdoor Performance Ensemble as a percussionist and in 2014 won National Championships. As a percussionist, I also traveled to New York City and in 2013 was part of the Macys Thanksgiving day Parade. I also traveled and played Festivals sitting principal violin of the Tarpon Springs orchestra. In 2014 I began attending a six week long program on Scholarship for chamber musicians and full orchestra at Kinhaven School of Music. Music is such an important part of my life and I can't to further my knowledge and love for Music, and share it with others.
Fun Facts
- I grew up in Tarpon Springs Florida
- I always have music playing. Some of my non classical favorites are (Simon and Garfunkel, The Shins, Norah Jones, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Sublime, Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Tribe Called Quest, Jimi Hendrix, Al Green and Os Mutantes.
- I always have to reheat my tea because I set it down and forget about it.
- I enjoy the controlled chaos of a good dinner party.
- I cook all the big Holiday meals in my family
- I like wearing comfortable things that I can move around in
- Naps are my favorite
- I am most awake at sun-down
- No one in my family has gone to College
- I love being barefoot