It seems that Jackie Tso was destined to be a musician.
At age 2, she was utterly fascinated by her older brother’s violin.
“I apparently would pick up his violin and play with it but not really know what I was doing,” Tso said. “I actually have no memory of doing that, but that’s what my parents tell me.”
Flash forward 25 years: Tso is beginning her second year as the concertmaster of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra.
As concertmaster, Tso serves as the first-chair violinist, occupying the honored spot immediately to the left of the conductor during concerts. She was appointed to the position last year after a nationwide search and an intensive audition process. A graduate of the prestigious Juilliard School, Tso came to Greenville from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Only 15 percent of concertmasters nationally are women, and Tso, 27, is among the youngest in the country to hold such a prestigious leadership position, said Jessica Satava, the orchestra’s executive director.
But what are a concertmaster’s duties?
Tso’s most prominent role is that of a soloist within larger symphonic works. Last season, Tso played violin solos in Richard Strauss’ “Don Juan” and Philip Glass’ Harpsichord Concerto. In May, she took on the virtuosic violin solos in Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” for the International Ballet.
“That takes a lot of preparation,” Tso said of the 20-minute solos in Swan Lake. “It’s the sort of thing I need to know inside out before we even begin rehearsals.
Taking the stage
In April, Tso will perform her first concerto with the orchestra. She’ll be the featured soloist in Max Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy” on the stage of the Peace Center.
“They asked me what I wanted to play, and it didn’t take me long to come up with the ‘Scottish Fantasy,’” she said of the spirited romantic work. “It was a dream of mine to play the entire concerto with orchestra because I’ve played excerpts from it so many times.”
Tso, like most concertmasters, also has a ceremonial role: Before the start of every performance, she steps onto stage prior to the conductor, takes a bow and cues the oboe to play an “A” — the note on which the entire orchestra proceeds to tune.
At the end of the concert, the conductor shakes her hand, symbolically thanking the entire orchestra for a successful performance.
Behind the scenes, Tso often participates in the auditions of new members of the orchestra. As leader of the violin section, she will sometimes designate how a piece is to be bowed — so that the two dozen violinists are artistically unified.
“Aside from the musical elements, there are upspoken duties of a concertmaster such as being present at receptions and important events, and maintaining a strong relationship with donors and the board,” Tso said. “I really want to make sure my role is not just in the concert hall but to help connect the public and the symphony, so that people know that what we do is very accessible.”
Tso begins her second season as the orchestra’s new music director, Lee Mills, enjoys his inaugural year.
“I was not shy about saying that Lee was my top choice as music director,” Tso said. “I really appreciate his artistry as a musician. He’s very down to earth, wanting to know us as people. His energy is infectious. I think Lee has incredible ideas about how to bring the orchestra to the next level and further connect the community with the orchestra.”
Dedicated to music
Tso grew up in Cincinnati. She began violin lessons in earnest at age 4.
“I felt all along that music was going to be a huge part of my life,” Tso said. “I dedicated a lot of my childhood to it. My parents took me out of state to study. I had lessons in Illinois, California, Michigan and New York with different teachers.”
When she was 15, Tso collaborated with acclaimed pianist Christopher O’Riley in a dazzling performance on National Public Radio’s “From the Top.” Later, she attended The Juilliard School in New York City, which she called a transformative experience.
In Greenville, Tso was initially nervous about taking on the high-profile role of concertmaster, she said, “but the musicians are wonderful colleagues, so it was an easy transition.”
Tso said she has comfortably settled in Greenville, enjoying writing, hiking and flower arranging in her spare time.
“Something I’ve recently taken up is pickleball,” she said with a laugh. “Most of all I value time with family and friends. They keep me grounded and connected with the world. As musicians, we can feel disconnected because we spend so much time in a practice room.”
Tso also enjoys long walks with her Aussiedoodle, Coco.
“She particularly loves Paris Mountain State Park,” Tso said.
This story was filed as part of an editorial partnership between South Carolina Public Radio and the Greenville Journal, which is responsible for its content. You can learn more about the Greenville Journal here.