Name: Laura Eis
Age: 29
Current Hometown: Greenville, NC
Instrument: Violin/Viola

General Questions

Do you have a full time job? Not right now

If yes, what do you do for a living as a day job? I teach private violin and viola lessons part time

Are you a full time student? Yes

If yes, what is your major? Violin Performance/Suzuki Pedagogy

What are your hobbies and interests? Teaching, reading, swimming, traveling

What do you like about Fayetteville? The people are all so friendly

What is something about yourself that most people don't know? Cats and brids freak me out

Musical Questions

When did you join the FSO? I was put on the sub list in the fall of 2007

Why do you enjoy playing with the FSO? We get to play great repertoire and all the people are friendly and really enjoy playing

When did you start playing? In 1987 when I was 9

Do you play any other instruments? Besides violin and viola I play a little piano

Where else have you performed outside of the FSO? In PA: Williamsport Symphony, Susquehanna Valley Chorale, Hershey Park Pops, Susquehanna University Orchestra In NC: Fayetteville Symphony, Beaufort County Orchestra, East Carolina University Symphony Abroad: Stamford International Music Festival (England), Penn State Chamber Orchestra Tour (Austria, Czech Republic), I Giovani Solisti Tour (England, Ireland, France) This summer I am looking forward to playing with groups in England and Brazil.

What is your most memorable moment on stage (good or bad)? When I was in 8^th grade I walked out on stage for a school orchestra concert and when I played the first note I discovered that all my pegs had slipped! I spent the whole piece trying to tune my violin but I couldn’t get the pegs to stick. After the first piece was over the conductor was able to tune my instrument for me but I was still shaken for the rest of the concert.

Who has been the biggest influence on your musical career? Jennifer Sacher Wiley. She was my violin professor at my undergraduate school and she was really encouraging and supportive when I was deciding to make music my career. She was and still is a great mentor and friend.

What sort of music do you enjoy playing or listening to? I really enjoy listening to and playing music where the emotion the coposer is trying to convey is apparent and I can feel the connection.

How do you deal with pre-concert nerves? I make sure I’m really warmed up before the concert and then I go over any hard passages. After that I just talk to myself and say, “This is what you love doing, so just enjoy it!”

Who are your favorite composers? Beethoven and Bach

What is/are your favorite piece(s) of music? I love the 2^nd movement from Beethoven’s 7^th Symphony

What sort of music do you listen to in your car or when unwinding after a long day at work? Something tranquil and relaxing. Sometimes instrumental pieces from movie soundtracks.