U of M School of Music Super Fan of the Week: Christa Saeger
This week we meet Maple Grove native Christa Saeger (D.M.A., cello performance, student of Tanya Remenikova) who knows a good cupcake when she sees (tastes) one.
1. Where are you originally from (hometown)?
Maple Grove, Minnesota
2. What instrument(s) do you play?
Cello! (Piano only when forced and I can hack through Twinkle on any stringed instrument)
3. What was the last live performance that blew you away?
I was visiting SOM alum Brett Lewis at Indiana University and saw the group Time For Three perform. The energy they can create from the stage is so entertaining and inspiring.
4. Which cellists have influenced you the most?
Honestly, my peers in my cello studio. They constantly amaze me both in their musical and technical abilities, not to mention great friends and a MUCH NEEDED support system.
5. What do you like most about the U of M School of Music?
We are located in one of the best arts communities in the country. Very few places have two world-class, professional orchestras to both enjoy and collaborate. I have received some truly unique opportunities at the SOM because of this.
6. Name your favorite musical moment at the SOM.
Easy. Last year, the University Symphony Orchestra did a workshop with Baltimore Symphony Music Director Marin Alsop at Orchestra Hall on Mahler 3. Besides creating a sense of musical energy and cohesion I have never felt before, she gave a wonderful talk about the importance of education and community engagement in the arts.
7. Where is your favorite place to eat/hang out on campus and/or the Twin Cities?
Shout out for Cupcake on University Avenue near the Prospect Park Neighborhood. With 150 different kinds of cupcakes, who could go wrong?
8. What's most frequently on your playlist?
Time for Three, Chris Thile, Beethoven, Usher, and recently getting reunited with Nelly.
9. What is something you know about the SOM ensembles that no one else does?
University Symphony Orchestra Music Director Mark Russell Smith is a complete genius, but he sweats... a lot (can I say that on the internet?).
10. What are the first three things that come to mind when someone mentions Minnesota?
Minnesota nice, the movie Fargo (yeah, yeah, I know it's in ND), and crazy weather (have ya BEEN here this summer?).