Grace Park gracefully slid her bow across the strings of her violin, sitting poised with a straight back between the other dozen violinists and the conductor before them. Her eyes darted from the music sheet to the quick, concentrated pulses of his bouncing baton.
All the violinists, behind her and her yellow cardigan, kept their eyes on her — following her lead.
Park, who was rehearsing that day in early December at the Sandler Center, is the newest concertmaster — the principal violin — for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. It’s her first season with the premiere classical music group in Hampton Roads, which chose her after a long and highly selective audition process.
“I know I speak for the musicians of the Virginia Symphony when I say we are so thrilled to welcome Grace to the Orchestra,” said Rob Cross, the principal percussionist for the Virginia Symphony and artistic director of the Virginia Arts Festival. “She has a beautiful sound and is a great musician and leader.”
