Mary Alice Hendricks
Cello
"The natural order of things in my family was to start piano lessons at 7 years old, and cello lessons at 8 years old, which meant my four brothers and sisters and I all played both instruments all the way through high school. We were in three different orchestra on Saturdays and comprised the entire cello section of each one!" recalls Mary Alice. Even so, Mary Alice ended up pursuing degrees in German Literature and International Public Administration which led her to work on development projects in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. All the while Mary Alice continued to play the cello and perform. Music continued to be a draw to her and eventually her love of languages and communication brought her back to music full time, which is evident when she explains why she performs.”I perform to connect with others on a level beyond spoken language. The language of music is easy to understand for everyone.”