Katie, Allison and Emily Reid stand with Carnegie Hall behind them. The sisters performed there with the Etowah Youth Orchestra in June.

By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



Playing the violin is more than just a pastime for three sisters in Hayden.

Teenagers Emily, Allison and Katie Reid have all been playing for seven years.

Their playing reached new heights last month when the three performed at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City.

They played there on June 9 with the Etowah Youth Orchestra of Gadsden. The orchestra first played at Carnegie Hall in 2001, and was invited back this year, according to Teresa Reid, the girls’ mother.

It was her daughters’ first time to play at the New York City venue.

“It was definitely an experience to play there,” said Emily, 17. “The Hall is absolutely gorgeous. The acoustics in the Hall are like nowhere else.”

Twins Allison and Katie, 15, also saw the performance as a highlight in their music careers.

“The sound was amazing,” said Allison.

“Having the opportunity was unbelievable,” Katie said. “We never thought we would get to play there when we first started (playing violin).”

Allison started the violin trend in her family. She began taking private violin lessons about seven years ago.

“At first I didn’t really read music, I just played by ear,” Allison said. “That was a bad habit to get out of with my teacher.”

For about eight months, Allison’s sisters sat on the sidelines while she learned to play the instrument.

“We would go to the lessons and watch her,” said Emily. “We wanted to try it too.”

“Allison wanted to take violin, then the other two fell in love with it too,” said Teresa. “So it just progressed from there.”

Seven years later, all three girls are accomplished on the instrument.

Besides all being members of the Etowah Youth Orchestra, which requires an audition, the three take private lessons. A member of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra serves as their instructor.

The sisters also play violin every week with the choir at Hayden United Methodist church.

“That’s what the three of us do at church. That’s how we contribute,” said Emily. “It’s our way to worship.”

Teresa said that her daughters make an amazing trio as they play harmony on their instruments.

“It’s fun to have all three of us when we have three parts,” said Katie. “We give each other pointers and tips. I like having sisters.”

The girls put in hours of practice each week, although it slacks off in the summer because their instructor goes on vacation.

They normally have lessons three or four days a week and perform on the weekends.

The girls also have several weekly rehearsals with the orchestra and practice with their church choir every Wednesday night.

Also, Emily has belonged to the 11-member Etowah Youth Symphony Honor Strings for the past two years, which rehearses one night a week.

Teresa said the girls are able to devote so much of their time to the violin because they are home-schooled.

“That gives them flexibility,” Teresa said. “If we weren’t home-schooling, I don’t know if there would be enough time to get their lessons and their school work done.”

Teresa said that she and her husband, Jimmy Reid,

are very proud of their daughters.

“They are unlimited on how far they can go with it,” she said. “I’m thinking college and scholarships.”

Emily, a senior in the fall, said she is also thinking about music and college. She is considering a minor in music education and is still thinking about her major.

Allison also sees the violin as a part of her future.

“This is something I’ll always do,” she said. “I’m not sure if it will be a profession or a hobby, but I’ll probably always play the violin.”