It felt like freshman year in college, where you could simply wander around and find someone to share a walk, conversation, or activity with. That's the magic of The Pinehills for me.
Con Moto Chamber Music Club
I joined many groups—knitting, book club, biking with the "Cyclepaths," kayaking, etc. However, my greatest joy and contribution to our community started in 2018 when I joined a small chamber music group called "Con Moto." I was a serious violinist in my teens and performed in various music groups and orchestras through high school, college, and medical school. Then followed a demanding career and raising a family. I completely stopped playing for 35 years, and assumed I never would play again. Con Moto changed my life and gave me back the focus and camaraderie that chamber music demands.
Our cellist Loey Weiss started cello later in life, and was one of the initial five players in the group 19 years ago. Susan Curtiss joined in 2010 after learning the flute at age 62. They put on a few concerts, but most of the small audience consisted of their family and friends. When I joined in 2018 it was led by professional violist Suzanne Howard, and was accompanied by professional pianist Susan Hadfield. Our group quickly rose to a higher level of musical complexity, and our audience filled the Stonebridge clubhouse. I remember when we performed "Fiddler on the Roof"—the crowd went wild! Since the room was so full, a woman in the first row was practically sitting on my lap and enthusiastically singing along. Such a happy memory!
It has been exciting to see our little group grow and adapt after the recent relocations of our professional leaders. We have stopped relying on someone to "teach" us, and instead have learned to work together and listen closely to each other. This involves both sharing ideas for selecting music and also exploring techniques on how to express it. We are now a group of seven who all share the same passion of making music together and are learning along the way. Most of us had not played for decades until we rediscovered our talent in The Pinehills. Our violinist Mary Wawro had taken lessons for years, but never played in a group before. Seeing the joy on her face when we rehearse together is priceless, and her skills are advancing rapidly. For me personally, being able to observe this is the greatest gift of all.
The Pinehills is my happy place. If a resident has an interest, they can find a group to join or even start their own club. The Pinehills has provided our music group with a rehearsal room, program support (thank you, Regina), and an enthusiastic audience. We've developed deep friendships and share lots of laughs.
– Laura Treppel, Con Moto Chamber Music Club
Welcome Center
The Summerhouse
33 Summerhouse Drive • Plymouth, MA 02360
Open by appointment Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–4pm
888.209.8880
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