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A New Orchestra Teacher Comes to WHS By Katerina Gebhardt

When students graduate high school, many pursue careers outside of the town in which they were raised. However, some alumni decide to come back and make a difference in their home community, specifically someone like Andrew Bedrossian, Walpole High School’s new string orchestra teacher. Every period six, Andrew Bedrossian teaches and conducts eighteen students who play violin, viola, and cello. Having graduated from Walpole High School in 2007, Bedrossian is very familiar with the Walpole community.

“It was a very familiar culture for me,” Bedrossian said. “Mr. Imbusch was extremely happy to have me come aboard. Mr. Gable has been extremely supportive.”

Bedrossian poses with his electric violin (Photo/ Andrew Bedrossian)
“It was a very familiar culture for me,” Bedrossian said. “Mr. Imbusch was extremely happy to have me come aboard, Mr. Gable has been extremely supportive.”

After graduating from Walpole High School, Bedrossian graduated from Rhode Island College in 2011, and he attended the Longy School of Music. As a performer, he has been a part of the Boston Civic Symphony, Wellesley Symphony, South Eastern Mass Festival Chorus, and Ocean State Summer Pops Orchestra. He plays the violin in a quartet, La Bella Musica.

In addition to teaching at WHS, Bedrossian also teaches an after school program in Westwood and performs in various different classical, contemporary, and quartet ensembles.

“Any time I’m away from music for an extended period of time, I miss it,” Bedrossian said. “It’s become such a part of my life that there is a void when I’m not playing or around it.”

Bedrossian poses with two of his younger students. (Photo/ Andrew Bedrossian)

Bedrossian has worked with both elementary and middle school orchestras, and he wanted to work with a high school orchestra where the kids would be more experienced and have a bigger commitment to the program.

“I love to see the development of my students, to see someone who maybe struggled with aspects of music and have overcome those challenges to become strong young musicians,” Bedrossian said.

“I love to see the development of my students, to see someone who maybe struggled with aspects of music and have overcome those challenges to become strong young musicians,” Bedrossian said.

This love of teaching has had a very positive impact on his students.

“He’s very friendly and we never really feel stressed,” sophomore and first violin Emma Thorsen said.

In addition to teaching private lessons, youth orchestras, and the WHS orchestra, Bedrossian plays for local ensembles. (Photo/ Andrew Bedrossian)

Bedrossian is looking forward to seeing the development of the orchestra from August to May, and is very grateful for the opportunity to teach at WHS.

“It’s been fantastic,” Bedrossian said. “Everything just kind of aligned. The stars aligned.”

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