January SOTM: Suryateja Telidevarapalli

For the month of January, Symphony Orchestra violinist Suryateja (Surya) Telidevarapalli has been nominated as Student Of The Month.  Come and join us in honoring Surya’s hard work as a part of the orchestra program and for being nominated by his peers!

Surya began his violin journey eight years ago in 3rd grade. He felt as if he needed to fit in with everyone else, and playing a musical instrument was something many of his peers were doing in elementary school.  However, as he got older, music became a more important pursuit for him; not just because he had to practice, but because practicing felt like a break from his daily stress.

Surya chose the violin because it was one of the more popular instruments he had heard about, and there wasn’t much else thought to it because of how young he was.  In fact, Surya was even advised not to play the violin because of how competitive it was, but he decided to take up the challenge; now look at how far he has come!

As he thinks back to previous orchestra events, Surya recounts that his favorite memory was the 2024 Fall String Concert, or the Mark Wood Experience.  The two were very different experiences, but it was an especially special moment for him because he was a section leader at the time.  The fun and exciting environment of the concert was truly unforgettable and distinct and created fantastic memories during Surya’s sophomore year.

“Music has definitely taught me patience, resilience, and discipline,” Surya said.  He believes that music plays a huge role in his life, and it is hard to picture his life without music and the amazing impact it has had on him.  He feels it has slowly become a part of his personality, and it is something he has learned so many lessons from.  

“The dedication needed to render a piece of music as perfect as possible helps musicians like us acquire many life skills,” Surya said.  To him, being able to play music is so important, as it not only provides you with beautiful melodies, but the development of lifetime skills and abilities.  

While he doesn’t have a ton of leisure time, Surya enjoys listening to more music to expand his repertoire and tries to work on improving his newer pieces and the pieces he has yet to learn.  He also loves to cook, and when he’s not practicing, he spends his time learning and perfecting new recipes.

Surya’s peers congratulate him for his dedication and diligence towards the orchestra program and for his continuous love of music and the violin.  Congrats, Surya, for being January’s Student of the Month!