Violinist returning to her roots

Whenever violinist Serena McKinney visits Utah, family members and friends remind her how long it's been since they've heard her play.

"Every time I come home, people say, 'I haven't heard you play in years,' " McKinney said by phone from Los Angeles. "So many people are curious to hear what I sound like now."

The American Fork native will make musical amends Monday when she plays her first local recital in several years. "I can't wait to come to Utah and play," she said.

On tap Monday is a varied program that stretches from Mozart to Prokofiev. "It's a fun program," McKinney said. "It's music you want to hear." The recital will consist of Mozart's Adagio and Rondo; Prokofiev's Sonata in D major, op. 94; Brahms' "Sonatensatz;" Paganini's Caprice No. 13; Kreisler's Praeludium and Allegro; and Sarasate's showpiece, "Zigeunerweisen."

"I really enjoy playing all of these pieces," she said, adding that performing is all the more enjoyable since she began playing on a Camillus Camilli violin on loan from the Mandel Collection of Southern California.

While she was still living in Utah, McKinney was a student of Utah Symphony concertmaster Ralph Matson. She said Matson had a hand in having her play a recital here. "Ralph really wanted this to happen. He really helped a lot in arranging this recital."

McKinney is currently enrolled at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, where she's studying with Robert Lipsett. (Another Utahn, Will Hagen, is also a student there, although he flies to Los Angeles once a week for lessons.)

There were several reasons McKinney chose Colburn instead of other, larger, schools, such as Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music. "The level of playing here is phenomenal. We have some really awesome people here. It's a very small community — there are only 31 students enrolled, so everyone knows each other well. And the faculty is amazing."

However, she admits that it was the chance to study with Lipsett that helped her in her decision to move to Los Angeles. "I heard so much about Mr. Lipsett from some friends who were studying with him at the time. He's had so many students who are now with leading orchestras."

Two years ago, McKinney auditioned for Lipsett and realized that he was the right teacher for her. "Everything felt so right. I'm not really a believer in fate, but something about him was right. We got along right from the start. He's very selfless in his teaching and really inspiring. After she played for Lipsett, she immediately canceled the auditions she had arranged for at other schools.