Some women who rock the Fort do so with a powerful voice, a wicked guitar, or some killer drumming. Violetta Todorova does it with her violin. With the Fort Wayne Philharmonic since 2016, Todorova began her study of music as a child in Russia, beginning to play the piano and the violin at the age of five. But she felt far more connected to one of those instruments.
“I found I could more easily express myself on the violin,” Todorova said. “It’s a really, really personal instrument. Every vibration of your fingers is different. Every violinist has their own sound. You can tell by listening who is playing.”
Todorova studied at a conservatory program, moving to the United States to study for three years at Interlochen before beginning to study in Chicago. She attended a concertmaster school and participated in concerto competitions, arriving in Fort Wayne more than five years ago as its newest concertmaster and violinist. She has quickly made a home here.
“Fort Wayne felt like home more than other places I’ve lived except Chicago where I lived for eight years. But I liked Fort Wayne more than I thought I was going to. It’s a big city, and there are a lot of things to do without the drawbacks of a larger city. The air is cleaner, it’s quieter at night, and where I live it feels very suburban, but I’m only 15 minutes from downtown. There’s a lot going on.
“Plus there’s a lot of support from the community for the orchestra,” she added. “It’s mind blowing how much people here care about the orchestra.”
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic is known for its combination of Masterworks and Pops performances, and Todorova said there’s a great deal of challenge and satisfaction in all the concerts during their season.
“Being able to play the great symphonies with all of that great writing is very satisfying and gives me a lot of professional satisfaction when things go well, bringing something to life that not many other people can. It’s bringing to life this great music, and it’s an experience I can’t really compare to anything else.
“Some Pops can be quite complex, though,” Todorova continues. “Pop music can be harmonically complex as well. And they’re a lot of fun because there’s a little less pressure for musicians so you can let loose a little bit.”
Audiences can enjoy Todorova this Saturday, February 19 as the orchestra presents works by John Williams and Dvorak and in two months as she’s prominently featured in the Philharmonic’s collaboration with Fort Wayne Ballet as they present Romeo & Juliet.
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