“When you have a big community like the one at Prep, it’s really powerful.”
Having spent every Saturday since she was 8 years old on NEC’s campus, Sarah Campbell ’21 Prep grew up in the NEC Prep community. She developed her violin skills surrounded by friends who shared the same passion for music. “Over the years, I watched the community grow,” she said. “NEC Prep was pretty small when I started, but even as it got bigger it stayed close-knit.”
In addition to the friends Sarah made at NEC Prep, the faculty were also a part of her Prep family. Conductor and chamber music coach Peter Jarvis has known Sarah since she first joined his String Training Orchestra as an 8-year-old. Last year, he coached her chamber music group, which won first prize at the Coltman Chamber Music Competition in Austin, Texas. The day they left for the competition, Peter drove to Logan Airport early in the morning to see them off and wish them good luck. “I was blown away by the amount of support and commitment he had for us,” Sarah recalled.
As Sarah prepares for her college auditions this year, she’s not nervous about playing in front of the judges because of the many years of audition experience she’s had at NEC Prep. Faculty have also played a role in building her confidence, showing her throughout the years that they are on her side. “Getting to know the faculty and conductors who are judging your auditions have taught me that they want you to succeed and are just looking for people to make art,” she said.
Sarah knows that the community and the experiences she grew up with at NEC will continue to shape her life. “Just getting to know and making music with people the way I have at Prep has been an experience I’ll take with me anywhere,” she said. “I’m always going to be playing music with others, and I established that foundation at Prep.”
Support students like Sarah Campbell as they develop their lifelong relationship with music.