Erin Guilfoyle first picked up a violin when she was eight years old. She didn’t know it then, but that moment would set her on a path for her passion and love for music and her desire to share it with others.

“Music has always been a part of my life. My mom put me into classes because she was a violin teacher,” explained Guilfoyle. “We’re a musical family, I’m just carrying on the legacy.”

As she grew up, Guilfoyle took to multiple instruments, including piano and viola, and later added cello to her repertoire for DePaul Prep’s orchestra. She practices every day for 45 minutes or even two hours. She explained this versatility as a means for her plans for the future.

“I’m studying to become an orchestra teacher, so I feel like I should have a deep understanding and appreciation of the instruments I’m conducting,” she said.

Guilfoyle’s combined passion for music and teaching have been highlighted by her personal experiences playing music. Last summer, she joined the Chicago Consort, one of America’s premier student performing ensembles, playing violin on a life changing tour of South Africa.

Over the course of eleven days, the group performed four concerts in Cape Town, Johannesburg, George, and Soweto. Each location offered something new, but one performance in particular stuck out to Guilfoyle when playing for the children of Soweto, a town struggling with poverty.

“After the concert, we worked with and taught some of the kids in the audience how to play,” she recalled. “They somewhat knew how to play, but they were getting stuck after certain skill levels. They just didn’t have anyone to teach them.”

“It was inspiring to see them so passionate and excited about music and their own cultures,” she said. This experience served as both inspiration and a call to action.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to always be grateful for the opportunities you have to learn music,” said Guilfoyle. She also reflected on the differences in audiences.

“One concert had thousands of fancy, well-dressed people. But the concert in Soweto was just as meaningful in such a different way,” she said.

Her love for teaching and music has largely shaped Guilfoyle’s future aspirations, as she plans to audition for music schools at large state universities this coming fall. She attributes some of her inspiration to DePaul College Prep’s orchestra director, Patrick Rocks, for helping her prepare for the next stage of her teaching and musical career. Guilfoyle explained that Rocks has given her “so much inspiration, and even a few conducting lessons.”

“He’s definitely made me more confident about my future,” she said.

Guilfoyles journey hasn’t come without challenges. Learning multiple instruments has tested her skills. “Sometimes when I’m playing violin and viola, I mix up the notes. It can be confusing, but it makes me a better musician,” she said.

Violin, however, holds a special place in Guilfoyle’s heart. “It’s probably my favorite instrument because I’ve been with it the longest,” she said. Currently, she’s studying Max Bruch’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 36, and hopes to one day expand her musical talent to other instruments such as trumpet.

When asked what lessons she hopes to pass on to her future students, Guilfoyle spoke with a sense of purpose. “I want them to always be grateful for the opportunity to learn music, and I want them to truly love it,” she said. “Music is a huge part of me and I can’t wait to share that with others.”