WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
In summer, the Pops Orchestra in
Bradenton runs “Camping with the
Pops,” an intensive program that gives
kids a chance to learn from, rehearse
with, and perform alongside professional
musicians for three hours every night for
a week.
While the camp brochure says it’s open
to students ages 12-18, this past summer,
the youngest cellist was only 10. Wrigley
Rinsema, a fifth grader at Bradenton
Christian School, is that good.
“For his age, he has great posture, great
hand position and a beautiful tone,” said
Dr. Robyn Bell, the Pops’ conductor
and the director of the summer camp.
Bell also conducts the State College of
Florida Bradenton Symphony Orchestra,
the SCF Symphonic Band, and she is the
SCF music department chair. Although
trumpet is her main instrument, Bell said
she took cello lessons in college.
“Wrigley’s better than I ever was,” Bell
said of his cello playing. “You can see it
and you can hear it.”
There’s more to Wrigley, though, than
musicality. “There was never a time he
didn’t have a smile on his face,” Bell said.
“He has this sort of aura about him.”
In camp, Bell said, Wrigley was
determined, took instruction graciously
and was never too shy to ask questions.
“He’s very inquisitive,” Bell said. “He’s
also thoughtful in his answers. He thinks
very deeply for a 10-year-old.”
To Bell, Wrigley not only has a future as a
cellist. She thinks he could go a step further.
“Wrigley has that intangible,” she said.
“He’s got this warm, welcoming, inviting
persona. He would make a really good
conductor because he works so well with
other people.”
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