VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 2.1 October 2013 | Page 8

The Conductor
I

By Mary Smith

f you have been at Mountainview for a year or
more, you have probably seen the school orchestra
in action. This group of talented people have grown
from a little group of elementary kids to a beautiful
band of young musicians. But our orchestra would
not have been possible without a certain individual
who took it upon herself to start and maintain the
group. You have probably seen her conducting
when the orchestra performs. But what you don’t
see is the amount of work she puts into it – writing
the music for all the different instruments, helping
each group of instruments with its part, and most of
all, how she got there.
As a child, Jenny Smith enjoyed playing
instruments. Her attraction to music began one day
when her parents brought out an old violin from
their attic. “Oh, I would like to learn that,” she
decided. She began formal piano lessons at
Indonesia with her husband and children. She began
age 7 and violin lessons at age 9. One day she grew
the school orchestra at Mountainview because she
frustrated as she was practicing her violin. Her
wanted to provide a place where her children could
frustration sparked a thought, a decision that would
play music with other young musicians, just like she
impact the rest of her life. She decided that she
had as a child. She hopes that, as the youth
would either get as good as she possibly could or
orchestras she participated in as a child had enriched
give up her music completely. Often the resolutions
her appreciation and enjoyment of music, the
we make come to nothing, but occasionally little
orchestra she is directing will provide a similar
decisions turn out to be signifenvironment for her own
icant, as was the case with
children and for the students of
Jenny. So she pushed on with
untain ew.
“Imagine your life as a symphony M o orchestrav ishe has T h r o u g h
her music, traveling to London
the
discovered
every Saturday morning for where Jesus is the ultimate conductor and developed her passion for
music lessons, participating in
music. She loves encouraging
2 different youth orchestras. who conducts magnificent music.”
students in their love of music,
By the time she was ready to
“I am a music teacher at heart; I
go to college she had met her
love helping students learn and
goal. So she decided to attend Guildhall School of
enjoy music”, it is a passion that truly brings her joy
Music. She chose to attend a music college, not beand inspiration.
cause of any great passion for music or momentous
Although Jenny didn’t have much sense of
plan for her life, but simply because of the decision
direction as a young person, God has led her into a
she had made as a child to grow as much as she
special passion that He set aside for her. He has
could in her musical skills. She later put it this way,
blessed her and others through music. She
“It was just the most natural choice. I didn’t really
discovered her passion gradually; it was a journey
think of doing anything else.”
that she allowed Jesus to guide her through. So let
In college her main focus was on the violin. She
Jesus be the conductor of your life. He knows you.
also studied piano, conducting, orchestration, and
He sees how unique you are, He knows what details
music history. After graduating with a degree in
to bring out in you. Imagine your life as a symphony.
music, she spent a year training as a school teacher.
The conductor knows all about each instrument. He
Initially rejected as a high school teacher, she began
knows exactly when each instrument should play,
teaching elementary school. She ended up teaching
what each part of the orchestra should do to make
music in a British school in Kenya, where she began
the music beautiful. He conducts the sad and the
discovering something she really loved doingjoyful parts, the ups and downs, in turn, knowing
teaching music.
each sound must play a part for the symphony to be
Eventually she got married and moved to
complete and ring out magnificently.

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