From an early age, Alyssa demonstrated a strong interest in music, playing the same songs over and over on the piano. After she discovered Dixieland Jazz, she desired to play the slide trombone. But, her parents were wise to the fact that the trombone is the loudest instrument in the orchestra. Alyssa settled for the cello, which makes perfectly good sliding sounds, just like the trombone.
Other than the trombone, the only other outlandish gift request in the early years was a printing press on which to publish “Hot News” for the neighbors. Dreams do come true. In subsequent years, Alyssa duplicated “The View from the Stage,” the Symphony Musicians of Richmond newsletter, at her neighborhood Kinko’s.
Alyssa AKA “Special Sauce” has been a hyperactive member of the Richmond Symphony cello section since 1993, especially in the absence of sundry sedatives. When not learning pages and pages of songs, she can be found at the hoops swishing reverse lay-ups, practicing environmentalism or perhaps watching her favorite TV show, Sesame Street. Her favorite instruments are the vibraphone and Lynette’s harp.
A proud Fennophile, Alyssa performed at FinnFest 2005 and soon will perform at FinnFest 2006. Her pianist, Ruth Locker, often suggests that she is ready for the FinnBinn.
Future plans include studying musicology at the University of Maryland and trying out for the women’s basketball team twenty years too late. After further years of an impoverished lifestyle, Alyssa will retire in comfort by selling hearing aids to the I-Pod generation.
Purrsonal
Alyssa lives with two adorable tabby cats, Pippuri and Butterscotch.