Overture Magazine: 2017-2018 Season September-October 2017 | Page 46

IMPROMPTU Lisa Bergman HORN “YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO TURN IT UP.” As a horn player, BSO musician Lisa Bergman knows when to hold back and when to really go for it. Lisa, who began playing in the fifth-grade band, knew she wanted to play professionally after an experience at Interlochen Summer Music Camp. “I remember we were playing Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, and I was so focused and into the music. When the piece ended, the audience erupted in applause and I was just shocked that there was anybody else there because I was so consumed by what I was doing. It was that summer that I decided I wanted to do this for a living.” And her favorite thing about playing with the BSO? “When I got here and we did rehearsals, they sounded great, everything was good. But then you get to the concert and this orchestra has another speed. I remember sitting there and thinking, whoa, this really sounds good. In music, you have to know when to turn it up. This orchestra knows when to turn it up and this orchestra has a ton of energy, which makes it really exciting.” But for Bergman, life as a musician is about finding balance. “I love nature and being out- doors in a natural setting—that really recharges me. I love hiking, I love biking, I love being out on the water. “ In particular, she’s picking back up an old interest that she finds has many parallels with music. “I have started playing tennis again. My mom played when I was growing up and I would always go to the courts with her. I took tennis lessons when I was very young and played in high school, but I kind of let it go for a while and I’ve started playing again. “It’s a really great release and it’s also very much related to music — you have to have focus and confidence to make it happen. You have to know when to go all in and when to hold back a little. With tennis, I’m working on playing with a little more finesse and letting myself get into the flow of it, and that’s the same with the horn.” 44 OV E R T U R E / BSOmusic.org