Artist Spotlight: Lindsey Crabb

Lindsey Crabb is perhaps one of the most inconspicuously extraordinary talents in the Conservatory. However, as one of this year’s winners of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, she is sure to turn some heads this Saturday night as she performs her winning piece accompanied by the LSO.
As a sophomore cellist here at Lawrence, Lindsey is one performer to keep an eye on as she is sure to do great things. Here’s a few words from the artist herself.Where are you from and what is your major?

I’m a cello performance major from Columbia, Mo.

How did you start playing music?

My parents are both musicians and so singing and doing nerdy music things was always a pretty big part of my growing up. I started playing piano when I was five and I started cello lessons when I was eight or nine.

Are there any artists or performers who you’ve found to be particularly inspirational?

Well, as a cellist, there’s always the usual Rostropovich and Jacqueline du Pr. Without trying to sound cheesy, I might have to add my grandpa in there too. He’s about 85 and plays trumpet all the time – quite well, I might add, considering he’s 85 and never had any real training – and even has a trumpet trio that plays around their community a lot. I just admire how much he loves it and really does it for his own enjoyment and for those around him rather than some selfish or superficial reason.

Can you tell us about your upcoming performance with the LSO?

I can tell you that it will be terrifying considering my fear of solos. I will be playing the Dvorak cello concerto with the LSO. It is an absolutely brilliant piece and I only hope I can do it justice.

What do you hope to accomplish with your music?

Wow, that’s a loaded question. I guess that music has always been really important to me and something that I get great enjoyment and satisfaction out of being a part of. By playing music, I hope to share at least some of that joy and the things about the music that I love so much.

Do you have any plans for the near or distant future?

I hope to live and study in Europe, and I hope to graduate from school – in no particular order. Other than that, I’m pretty open to ideas.