ANDREA MCMILLIAN
The Corsair
“Gesang ist dasein – To sing is to be,” quoted Elisabeth Von Trapp after she had finished her performance in the Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium.
Elisabeth Von Trapp is the granddaughter of Maria and Baron Von Trapp, whose story inspired the play The Sound of Music. Throughout her life, she sang and played music. Trapp began taking piano lessons when she was just eight years old. By the time she was sixteen she was performing with the guitar.
“I’ve been singing and making music my whole life. I’ve had many, many years of practice,” Trapp said.
Elisabeth Von Trapp has brought her music many places. On Nov. 18, she brought it to PJC.
Trapp wasn’t alone on stage. Erich Kory was by her side playing on the cello. Kory, an Ohio native, has been playing the cello most of his life. He is currently touring with Trapp.
“The cello sound is mesmerizing,” audience member Lavonne McGrath said. “It adds so much to the performance.”
At the end of her performance of “Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, Trapp said, “Now you guys are beginning to see what Erich does with that cello.”
The audience agreed in unison.
“He is absolutely amazing,” Terrence Hillis, whose wife is a big fan of The Sound of Music, said.
During the show, Trapp performed many of the classic songs from The Sound of Music. The audience cheerily sang along with Trapp during many of these songs, including “My Favorite Things” and of course “The Sound of Music.”
“It was a very delightful evening and very informative. The songs did bring out the struggle that her family had. And her voice is delightful, I enjoyed it very much,” Trudie Sherwood, voice instructor at PJC, said.