It was truly an honor to be a part of this incredible production as orchestral accordionist. It was initially supposed to be an onstage accordion part, but after some back and forth about whether I would be costumed as a man or a woman, I was eventually stationed in the pit, which is one of my favorite places to be (and I’ll be back onstage plenty during Nutracker, clad in my traditional peasant garb.) Playing with the Lyric Opera Orchestra is such a joy; the gorgeous and complex Michel Legrand score was so rewarding to play and to learn about from the inside out, and I loved getting to work with conductors Nathan Brock and Nicholas Koo. It was an amazing experience that I will carry with me for a long time!