Arleen Conrad: One Classical Lady

Published: August 17, 2022

Arleen Conrad’s left hand glides over the neck of her violin as her right commands the bow to sway this way and then that way. And then back.

This repetition – finger slide, bow pull, finger slide, bow push – creates a love that Arleen has known since childhood: Music.

“I fell in love with music while listening to classical music on WQXR radio out of New York,” Arleen said. “There was an endless supply of incredible music and musicians to listen to and learn from being so close to New York City.”

Arleen grew up in New Jersey but was dialed into New York radio. Over the airwaves her radio picked up concertos and sonatas, and by eight years old Arleen had picked up her first violin.

“I would play and play,” she said. “In the beginning, I was playing whatever and wherever I could.”

And she practiced. Then practiced more. Then even more.

By the age of 13 she joined her first symphony orchestra. Arleen then began playing with local trios and quartets, and eventually the hours of practice led her to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

She began spending a lot of time in Manhattan with music professors and playing in small groups to better herself as a musician

Eventually, Arleen found herself at the University of Arizona. Then in 1973, she moved to Panama City.

With her extensive musical knowledge, she quickly realized there weren’t many opportunities to play, perform or teach in Panama City. But instead of giving up, she created her own opportunities.

Arleen was a part of creating a symphony at then Gulf Coast Community College – now Gulf Coast State College – and taught students while being the concertmaster. It was an all-hands-on deck as momentum built and she began a journey of teaching well over 100 students the art of playing the violin.

Many of those students have gone on to musical careers. One stand-out student is Ford Seeuws, a musician and cinematographer.

"She was really such a formative part of my life," Seeuws said in a May 2018 interview with the Panama City News Herald. “She took me under her wing. I fell in love with it.”

Seeuws fell in love with playing music just as Arleen had so many decades before. It’s proof that time isn’t a constraint to the classics like those Arleen and Seeuws play. A classic is just that, a classic.

The complicated simplicity of classical music is made to look and sound easy at the hands of a master like Arleen, but it’s the years of repetition that have made the difficult easy.

Finger slide, bow pull, finger slide, bow push.

Again.

Finger slide, bow pull, finger slide, bow push.

Unlike the black and white notes that compose a piece of music, life is often not as predictable.

She and her husband lost their home to Hurricane Michael in 2018. Although they have many children and grandchildren, there wasn’t a comfortable place for them to call home until they found Seagrass Village of Panama City Beach.

“When I walked in, I knew this was my new home,” Arleen said with a smile. “I just love the activities here and the activities director, Randy Patton, is the best there is. And happy hour is my favorite time because I see so many of my friends and get to meet new people.”

Meeting new people and continuing to build relationships is what Arleen has continued to do since moving into the independent living community.

All it really takes is that first step – like playing the violin.

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