Lacey Schroeder is only 17, but her resume is quite impressive.
The State College resident recently completed her junior year at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Mass. There, she earned the Gold Key Award, membership into the Cum Laude Society in recognition of her high scholastic achievement and the Wellesley College Book Award.
Schroeder plays the clarinet. She specializes in classical pieces.
She tried about 10 or 11 different instruments before settling on the clarinet.
“I started (playing) when I was 10, 11 years old,” Schroeder said. “My family was never really big on classical music, so it was really something I discovered on my own. I knew that I wanted to pursue music.”
With that in mind, Schroeder and her family decided it was best if she took her talent on the road — so to speak.
She left the State College Area School District and enrolled at Walnut Hill. It certainly wasn’t an easy decision for Schroeder or her family.
“I decided that I had to make the sacrifice and go to Boston because that was really where I could hone in on my skills … practicing five hours a day, things like that,” Schroeder said.
At first, Schroeder said, she missed home. But as time went by, she adjusted.
“It was really tough … it’s still tough for me. But it helped knowing that I was doing something greater. I was getting all of these opportunities. Knowing that made it OK,” she said.
Schroeder is making the most of her time in New England. During the month of May, she performed in more than a dozen concerts throughout the region. She was featured in Franz Shubert’s “The Shepherd on the Rock, D.965” for soprano, clarinet and piano at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Mass. She was also featured as principal clarinet on Aram Khachaturian’s “Violin Concerto” with the New England Conservatory’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra in Jordan Hall under the baton of conductor David Loebel in Boston.
In July, she attended the Aria International Summer Academy for Advanced Music Studies.
Schroeder was also a member of the New England Conservatory Honors Woodwind Quintet and various ensembles at Walnut Hill, performing staples of clarinet repertoire throughout the year.
Just a few weeks ago, she returned to Walnut Hill for her senior year.
She said that performing in front of big crowds in famous venues has been an adjustment.
“I still get nervous, but after being there a year, I’m drastically less nervous. With more experience, I feel more comfortable with my instrument,” Schroeder said.
So just what lies ahead for her?
“I think I might want to be a scientist … a research scientist. But I always want music to be something that I love. If I can play in an orchestra on the side or keep playing in chamber groups, I think I’d like that even more,” she said.
When Schroeder has free time, she said that she enjoys, well, music.
“I love listening to music. I’m a big Bob Dylan fan. That calms me down,” she said. “I also love playing sports. I love tennis, swimming and running.”
Schroeder is the daughter of Lisa A. Schroeder, of State College, and Steve M. Schroeder, of Myrtle Beach, S.C.
