Feb 12, 2007 By Angie Oravec 5 min read

Usually at the opening of sports games, fans raise their hands to their hearts or salute the flag as singers belt out the inspiring lyrics of the national anthem. Rarely do you see a violinist deliver a rendition of the patriotic song telling of our nation’s history.

That has been the case for three years at many Laurel Highlands High School home sports games, where senior student Emily Powell has been doing just that.

With violin in hand, Powell can be heard at swimming and wrestling events and basketball and football games. She also has performed at school board meetings.

People in school knew about Powell’s talent. She has been taking violin lessons since a very young age. In fact, the 18-year-old is beginning her 14th year playing the instrument.

She takes lessons at Mount St. Macrina, taught by Duquesne University instructor Jeff Irwin.

Rising to perform before everyone in the stands makes Powell feel pretty nervous, but this year she mostly has overcome that feeling and said, “It really helped me get over stage fright.”

After a nighttime performance is over, Powell said she breathes “a big sigh of relief,” knowing she didn’t mess up something that could easily be erred.

Asked about personal rewards from such an opportunity, Powell said she is doing her part to help honor America as a war continues overseas.

“I am doing what I can as a high school student to honor those in Iraq and to show patriotism for my country,” said Powell in a telephone interview this week.

A cheerleader and performer in the high school jazz and marching bands, Powell has performed in school musicals, serves as vice president of the National Honor Society and participates in the honors and district orchestras through the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. She also is a member of the high school diving and swimming teams.

In addition to the violin, she plays the viola and keyboard, and the cello for fun. She plays the instruments at special events for her church, Great Bethel Baptist Church in Uniontown.

Powell also can be heard serenading those dining at 30 East Main in Uniontown or at local weddings, where she, on the violin, and her friend, former Laurel Highlands High school student Jessica Dubois, on the piano, play for special occasions.

“We have our own little business thing going,” said Powell.

Music runs in Powell’s family. Her four sisters have followed in her footsteps, also taking violin lessons at a young age. They are taught by Irwin, Powell’s same instructor. Powell has even heard stories of her great aunt, who was pulled from high school to attend Juilliard School.

Practicing four times a week, Powell aims to make playing the violin more than a hobby.

At Cedarville University, a small Baptist college in Ohio, she plans this fall to major in the viola, which is similar to the violin, but slightly larger, and minor in international relations. She has aspirations to become a missionary.

Though not Julliard, Cedarville is comparable in more ways than one would think to the highly competitive postgraduate arts school in New York City, Powell said.

Despite hours of practice, Powell said she still plays in part for relaxation.

“It is a place I can go away from everything,” she said.

She recounted the story that led to her interest in the violin. At the age of 5, she saw a blond fairy in a pretty dress playing the violin on a television show and said, “I want to do that.”

“I bugged my mom to let me,” said Powell.

Now that she knows she will pursue playing the violin after high school, she tends to take it seriously.

“I practice a lot more and am definitely more worried about the little things,” said Powell. “I listen to a lot of classical music.”

Irwin, her teacher, is patient and inspires her to play, she said.

“He’s really talented, but doesn’t flaunt it,” said Powell. “It’s like dad teaching you. He sees a beauty, a deeper level of the music.”

Powell also took lessons for nine years from instructor Mary Lou Swaney in Uniontown.

She said Irwin teaches in the Suzuki method of music education, which involves picking up on the notes through hearing the music, instead of reading it. This is how she learned to play the national anthem.

“I sat down and figured it out in a couple of minutes,” said Powell. “I never had the music to (“The Star-Spangled Banner”).”

She attends the Pittsburgh or West Virginia symphony orchestras in concert, and will return, remembering pieces of a song she heard, and will play it on the violin.

“Learning by ear is a lot easier to do,” she added.

Powell is a daughter of Dr. James Powell and Debra Powell. The family resides in Hopwood.