Warwick Valley High School senior Gabrielle Donohue started playing the cello before she started kindergarten. When she was in preschool, a musician would come in and play different instruments for the children. Once Gabrielle heard the cello, she was determined to play the instrument.
“He said he usually does not give lessons to children that young, but I was very persistent with my parents,” Gabrielle said. “I was very set on playing the cello. My parents told me I really liked the deep sound of it.”
The visiting musician agreed to give Gabrielle cello lessons, and she is still taking private lessons today. She is also principal cellist in the WVHS Symphony Orchestra and was selected to the all-county orchestra.
Gabrielle said the hardest part about starting the cello so young was holding the bow correctly. She said her little hands just didn’t have the strength yet.
“I still love the sound,” Gabrielle said. “I play it now because it’s a fun activity and a stress reliever. I think it’s going to be a lifetime hobby, just something fun that I can pick up whenever I want.”
Gabrielle will be playing the cello next year in the orchestra at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she received a music scholarship. She will be studying computer science with the goal of going into cyber security. She took an AP Computer Science Principles course at WVHS last year.
“Gabby is an amazing young lady and cellist,” WVHS music teacher Elissa Maynard said. “She is humble, dedicated, and hardworking. I have had the pleasure of being a part of Gabby’s musical journey since she was in the fifth grade. She is looked up to by her peers as she is a natural born leader. She was definitely leading our cellos for our winter concert.”
In addition to joining the orchestra at RIT, Gabrielle will be playing on the tennis team. She played on the WVHS varsity tennis team for five years and was a Section 9 doubles champion.
Gabrielle also excels academically. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. Gabrielle earned Summa Cum Laude honors for the first two marking periods.
