Fairmont grad interned at D.C.’s Kennedy Center

Trombonist, 21, hopes to work as an orchestra manager.

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Music programs

For information on Kettering School’s music programs and upcoming events, visit their website: www.ketteringmusic.org/

Sarah Lamb, 21, recently completed her internship at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. Lamb was awarded the prestigious position after beating out several other applicants and credits Kettering Fairmont High School for helping her along the way.

“Fairmont music programs and ensembles greatly shaped the person and musician I am today,” Lamb said.

Lamb graduated from Fairmont High School in 2011. She played trombone in the Fairmont band, was a member of the Wind Ensemble, the Marching Firebirds, Symphonic Chorale, the a cappella group Eleventh Hour and the school choir.

“I was involved in almost all of the music programs offered, which gave me several perspectives on music. Fairmont music directors are truly top-notch,” Lamb said.

Currently, she attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), studying music performance and communication studies. Lamp returns to school this fall as a senior and hopes to work as an orchestra manager after graduation.

During her internship at the Kennedy Center, Lamb worked in the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Education Program. As the NSO Education intern, she assisted the staff in planning and administering the Summer Music Institute – a four-week summer music program for young instrumentalists ages 15-20 from across the country.

“I’ve been working with kids 15-20. It’s fun because they are young and easy to relate to, I mean, I was where they are a very short time ago,” Lamb said.

Lamb also participated in the Instrument Petting Zoo, a project of the Women’s Committee for the National Symphony. The “petting zoos” are set-up prior to concerts to give children, and their parents, the opportunity to get up close and personal with the orchestral instruments.

“It’s surprising when you can make a noise on an instrument. The kids say, ‘That just came out, I made that noise,’ ” Lamb said.

Lamb knows the excitement that comes with discovering an instrument for the first time. She caught the music bug in middle school. She said she knew she wanted to play a brass instrument after trying them out but couldn’t maneuver her fingers very quickly — the trombone was a perfect fit.

Lamb grew up a “military brat” and attended several primary schools before landing in Kettering.

“I have been very blessed to attend schools across the country that offer good music programs. I think it is pretty rare to have as smooth of a music education as I did, having moved 5 times from K-12. I am very lucky to have moved to Kettering my sophomore year of high school,” Lamb said.

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