Horn player O’Brien radiates enthusiasm

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When French-horn player Roxanne O’Brien arrived at VCU, she had no intention of pursuing music. O’Brien thought ensemble musicians were, for the most part, volunteers.

Three music-filled years later, O’Brien – now a senior – has come a long way since her na’ve freshman days.

When French-horn player Roxanne O’Brien arrived at VCU, she had no intention of pursuing music. O’Brien thought ensemble musicians were, for the most part, volunteers.

Three music-filled years later, O’Brien – now a senior – has come a long way since her na’ve freshman days.

O’Brien has filled the requirements for a music degree but is still part of a woodwind quintet and a double quintet and takes private piano lessons at VCU. She still participates in multiple activities, because she thinks improving musical skills is an ongoing process.

“The problem with music is you never finish,” O’Brien said. “You never get good enough, and they say, ‘OK. Good job. You did it.’ ”

When O’Brien was a freshman, she was the youngest musician in the quintet, Said Stephanie Fairbairn, O’Brien’s former peer and co-member of “The Hot Lava Brass Quintet.”

“When we started out, she was super shy and reserved about the whole thing, but then we discovered that she had a monster sound on the French horn,” Fairbairn stated in an e-mail. “She became the star of the quintet.”

Joel Nieves – also a former member of “The Hot Lava Brass Quintet” – said O’Brien brought a refreshing element to the group.

“It was healthy for the quintet to have Roxanne with us,” Nieves said. “She was a fine player and active contributor, but she had a way of reminding us of how things were when everything was a new and exciting experience.”

O’Brien played French horn for Barksdale Theatre’s production of “Into the Woods” during the summer between her freshman
and sophomore year. This was one of
O’Brien’s most memorable experiences, because she got paid for doing something she loved.

O’Brien said, as a musician, she struggles with performance anxiety. She credits professors, coaches and peers for helping her overcome this fear.

“Sitting down for hours in a room with your instrument, with no guarantee of a good result, is a hard thing to do,” O’Brien said. “At the end of the day, you can always walk on stage and fall apart, which has been my experience with performance anxiety . not succeeding when the lights come on.”

O’Brien thinks she got more out of the college experience than other students.
“While everyone else was taking naps and taking road trips, I would be sitting in a 4-by-6 room with a French horn,” O’Brien said. “I haven’t regretted it one bit. I absolutely love it.”

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