STUDIO AT LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY
CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
FROM STUDENTS PAST AND PRESENT
Gabe Roethle '24
From Rockford, Illinois, Gabe came to Lawrence to combine his passion for violin with other musical and non-musical interests. Gabe graduated from Lawrence in 2024 with majors in Music Composition and Film Studies, and will be pursuing a Master's degree in Southeast Asian traditional music performance at Northern Illinois University in the fall of 2024.
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What are some musical achievements and goals you've worked towards during your time at Lawrence?
Lawrence Concerto Competition 2022, co-winner
Pansky Concerto Competition 2023, 1st place
Round Top Festival 2022
Lutheran Summer Music Fellow 2023
Janacek Quartet 2024
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Gabe Roethle '24 performs the first movement of Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1. with the Civic Symphony of Green Bay
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quotes from Agnes Huang '27
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Where are you from and what drew you to Lawrence?
"Hi! My name is Agnes, I’m from China and major in violin performance. What drew me to Lawrence is its small community and of course, Professor Gu."
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What are some musical achievements and goals you've worked towards during your time at Lawrence?
"One small achievement I had was to pluck up the courage play at the first studio class. I always had trouble (or in another word performance anxiety) before and I am really glad I can now push myself through. One of my goals for sophomore year is to participate in the concerto competition using one of my favorite pieces, and I do wish to play it with the orchestra if l get the chance to."
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Favorite memories from studio/lessons?
"I liked it when she surprised us with lots of donuts one time in winter term after Gabe and Eli’s recital."
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What are some musical achievements and goals you've worked towards during your time at Lawrence?
Pansky Concerto Competition 2023, 2nd place
Wisconsin Alliance for Composers, Student Composition Contest, honorable mention
Ben Campbell '24
From Escanaba, Michigan, Ben came to Lawrence after receiving incredible mentorship and guidance from past alumni of Prof. Gu's studio. Ben will be pursuing a Master's degree in Violin Performance with a teaching assistantship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall of 2024.
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Ben Campbell '24 performs Grażyna Bacewicz - Sonata No. 2 For Solo Violin during his senior recital at Lawrence.
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Favorite memories from studio/lessons?
"My senior recital was on April 20th, 2024
and it was the day before another alumni
from Prof. Gu's studio, David Rubin '12 was returning to Lawrence to perform a guest-artist recital. This double recital weekend brought more alumni from Prof. Gu like Dani Simandl '10 to watch both recitals, and I felt so supported and loved by all of the amazing Lawrence musicians around. David and Dani had been really important mentors to me in high school, and I would never have pursued music and studied with Prof. Gu if it wasn't for them, so it felt so full-circle to have everyone there."
quotes from Thea Weinbeck '25​
Where are you from and what drew you to Lawrence?
"I am from Seattle, Washington. I came to Lawrence because of the conservatory and I really wanted to study with Professor Gu. I will be graduating in 2025 with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance with minors in art history and string pedagogy."
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Favorite memories from studio/lessons?
"A recent breakthrough we had in lessons that stuck out to me was helping me to see certain parts of my violin journey as places of musical exploration when I was struggling to motivate myself after my recital."
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What are some musical achievements and goals you've worked towards during your time at Lawrence?
"My piano trio put on a recital in spring 2023, I was accepted into the Zodiac Music Academy and Festival in 2023 and will be a research fellow with the Lawrence Chamber Music Festival in 2024."
STUDIO THROUGH THE YEARS
2024
2024
2020
2018
2016