Our community is incredibly blessed to have such an organization as the VSA. I love that many people, who have a passion for music but didn't choose to make it their career, can experience being in a symphony. We all are here volunteering our time because we love making music. Everyone dedicates countless hours of practicing and rehearsals to put on a concert for our community that we love. What an incredible organization where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together to play music!

Featured Season 52 First Half Program

As a six-year-old, Chase started piano lessons under Joy Thompson and absolutely loved it. She continued through mid-high school and then began lessons at CMU under Professor Monte Atkinson.

At the end of her junior year, Chase decided to take the leap to learn the violin, which she always wanted to try, but she was scared to start all over with a new instrument. Her parents gifted her with her first violin, which gave her the courage to go for it! After a year of lessons with Deb TenNapel, the VSA’s former concertmaster, Deb encouraged Chase to join the Valley Youth Orchestra (VYO).

“It just goes to show that anyone can start and learn to play an instrument at any time in their life. If you've always wanted to play, DO IT! You don't have to start as a young child to be successful.”

Chase played with the VYO, a string-only ensemble, as a senior in high school and continued to mentor with them for several years after. She also served one year on the VYO Board as the secretary. Chase joined the VSA Orchestra in 2013 to learn to play with a full symphony and really loved the experience. In 2022, Chase moved to the tutelage of Sandy Sundstrom.

Chase has lived in Colorado her entire life: she was born and raised in Eckert and moved to Grand Junction after her marriage to Donin in 2020. She loves and has been privileged to travel from a young age and has visited Mexico, Costa Rica, Iceland, Israel, France, Canada, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and many Caribbean Islands. She currently works remotely for a large, Chicago-based corporation as a customer service lead and is delighted to travel to other company’s sites several times a year. She also loves reading and spending time with family, friends, and her one-year-old toy Australian shepherd, Kona.