When Max Meyers was in kindergarten, he could play the drums fast.
Really fast.
The youngster was able to hit 16th notes at an incredible 120 beats per minute.
In first grade, his music teacher, Lech Usinowicz, took that promising percussionist and put a violin in his hands.
He is now one of only 14 musicians in the state selected for first violin section in the Colorado All State Philharmonic Orchestra, and he is the first violinist from Bayfield High School to be selected for the honor.
“I knew he had some phenomenal music instincts and interest, and I tapped into that as soon as I could,” Usinowicz said.
Meyers has been playing the violin ever since.
He says he appreciates the challenge and intricacy of the instrument, but his teacher says whenever he needs someone to fill in on percussion in orchestra, Meyers is still his go-to guy.
The state philharmonic will rehearse and perform Thursday through Feb. 5 at Colorado State University. Directed by Helen Cha-Pyo, the select group will perform March Slav by Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Korean Folk Dance by John Barnes Chance, and the Bamboula Rhapsodic Dance No. 1 by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
In addition to practice for state, Meyers is a starter for the Bayfield High School basketball team, and he also maintains a top GPA.
Will violin be part of his professional future?
“I do enjoy playing,” he said. “It would be cool to play for a living. It’s one of the top options.”
He’s able to rehearse only about an hour a day during basketball season, but in the off-season, he practices about two hours a day.
State philharmonic will be the largest group he has ever played with.
“I’m mostly excited,” he said. “I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s pretty nerve-wracking.”
To earn his spot in the prestigious group, he recorded excerpts from Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 and Symphony No. 5 by Dmitri Shostakovich.
The students also had to submit a piece of their choice, and he performed Konzert in C by Dmitri Kabalevsky.
Tiffany Biles is his orchestra teacher this year at BHS, and noted that on top of being an excellent musician, Meyers submitted a phenomenal tryout recording.
He’s excited to be making the long trip to Fort Collins to play such demanding works.
“It’s a good opportunity to see what’s out there in the whole music world,” he said.
In addition to his talent, Meyers brings passion and dedication to his work, Usinowicz said. The 17-year-old teaches and mentors violinists in the Music Everywhere! program, which is based in Bayfield and promotes music education throughout the county.
His parents, Greg and Susanne Meyers, support their son’s talent and got him private lessons as much as possible, Usinowicz said.
The all-state orchestra is divided into the philharmonic orchestra and the symphony orchestra and has been hosted by the Colorado Music Educator Association since 1952.
“He’s an incredible human being,” Usinowicz said. “I am incredibly proud of him.”
An earlier version of this story erred in saying Max Meyers was selected as “first chair“ in the Colorado All State Philharmonic Orchestra. He was selected to play with the first violin section.
