HUGHESVILLE – Playing the violin seemed like a calling to Liam Turnbow of Hughesville. As a 7th grader he has been drawn to music since he was in second grade, he said. “It’s amazing sound is what made me want to play the violin,” said Liam who will be performing before the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra on February 12.

He will be appearing with three other students. One is from Montoursville, the other is from Jersey Shore and Brie Myers from Muncy will also be there. Starting at 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Community Arts Center the four students will be playing their string instruments together in the 1st Movement Concerto in b-minor and also they will play Bouree by Bach. They will be performing duos and all four are music students at Robert M. Sides Music Studio in Williamsport.

The four violinists will be playing songs collectively, some classical and baroque period pieces, some will be pop and country according to Turnbow. “We also do group recitals together,” he said. Every season there is a recital at the studio and each student performs a solo.

Liam is planning on becoming a member of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra. He wants to play the violin more often. “It’s a great instrument to show other people,” he said. So far he has been through four or five violins. He has been renting one for now but will soon have his own. “I started with a smaller size,” he added and kept progressing to a “full size.”

At Hughesville High School he plays percussions, and used to play the trumpet. Most of the schools have a marching band he said, but to play a string instrument he takes 45 minute lessons every Monday at Robert M. Sides. He noted that Williamsport High School does offer a performing string orchestra for their students.

He takes group lessons on Fridays and practices about 15 to 30 minutes every day. During the summer Liam attends music camp at Lycoming College for a week in July, and at the end of the week he performs a solo. Last year was his first and this year he said he is really looking forward to it again. “I met other students that came here. Some came from Pittsburgh,” he added.

For now Turnbow said he is playing for fun but hopes to play professionally some day if things change. Liam is the son of David and Nadine Turnbow of Hughesville, and he said he is grateful his parents provided the opportunity to influence him to play music. His sister takes vocal lessons and his brother started playing the guitar.

His next endeavor on the violin will be a state violin concert in Harrisburg. He also has a recital scheduled at Grantham Brethren Christ Church in Mechanicsburg. He has been playing continuously for the past five years, mostly at the Bible Baptist Church in Hughesville and last year he said he especially enjoyed performing at Christmas for a veteran’s day program at Hughesville High School.