First String

To brothers Brycen and Spencer Ingersoll, a chair is much more than four-legged furniture.

They could tell you that, in the orchestra world, a chair is a status symbol that not only dictates where you sit but your position in the hierarchy of your section as well -- the better a player you are, the closer you are to the top, and the nearer you sit to the conductor. And they would know: They've both been first chair in every orchestra in which they've played.

When Brycen was in fifth grade, the Lied Middle School orchestra visited his elementary school, and Brycen took an immediate liking to the bass. "I think I was attracted to it just because of how large it was," he says.

"He came home that afternoon and was going completely insane," says the brothers' mother, Kathryn Ingersoll. Brycen signed up for middle school orchestra, and upon entering the sixth grade, he began playing the bass.

Now 18 and a senior at Las Vegas Academy, Brycen has placed first in the Bolognini and Music Teachers National Association Silver State competitions, performs as first chair with top orchestras at his school and in local youth organizations, plays substitute bass for the Las Vegas Philharmonic and has studied with world-known solo bassists and bass directors. He has won the Nevada All-State Competition twice, once for playing an extremely difficult Zigeunerweisen violin concerto on his bass. He is one of a few bassists in the world able to do so, and the youngest to ever perform it.

"Brycen has achieved the ability to play violin literature on the bass and make it not just sound like a violin but a completely different, unique work of art, and that is absolutely incredible. He is incredible," says Richard Straub, Brycen's private instructor.

Spencer, 14 years old and a freshman at Las Vegas Academy, began playing the viola in sixth grade.

"I just thought that viola playing would be interesting, and it ended up to be something more than that. It consumed my life, but I'm fine with that," Spencer says.

Spencer plays as first-chair violist in Las Vegas Academy's top orchestra, the highest division of the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra, and the CCSD High School Honors Orchestra, and recently placed second in the MTNA Silver State Competition. He is preparing for the 2008 Bolognini Competition this month.

"When I know I've played well, I feel great," Spencer says. "And I get pretty competitive."

When Spencer started high school, he was immediately recognized by teachers and students as Brycen's brother.

"It's kind of like we formed an Ingersoll brothers title at school, and that definitely brings along expectations," Brycen says. "For me, it's just to maintain first chair and pull out something new and crazy on the bass."

Spencer doesn't see the preconceptions that come along with being Brycen's brother as a negative factor.

"Because Brycen's won all these things, they're pretty much expecting me to be perfect," Spencer says. "But I love the expectations. When you have the pressure, it makes you get to another level that you might not get to on your own."

Even though he is the younger brother, Spencer is not worried about living in Brycen's shadow. "Since I started, I've been making a path of my own," he says.

Brycen and Spencer both practice several hours a day, and both enjoy their practice time. "It's a relief and an escape from whatever else is going on," Brycen says.

Sharing a house can make practice schedules complicated, but they have found ways to cooperate.

"Basically, it's just if it's open," Spencer says. "If someone is playing downstairs, someone has to play upstairs."

Practicing, rehearsing with various groups, homework and other extracurricular activities can make every day at the Ingersoll house an advanced juggling routine, but they've learned to coordinate and set priorities.

"It's hard to keep up with everything when it all pounds on you at once," Spencer says.

"It's difficult to maintain a high caliber of work in all the different things I'm involved in, and it's very time consuming, but the bass always comes first," Brycen says.

After graduating, Brycen plans to pursue music in college, most likely at Boston University, Curtis Conservatory or Brigham Young University, for one year before serving a two-year mission for his church.

"With all the training I've had, two years without playing won't completely diminish my skill, but I think how I'll come back to it will be way different from the perspective I'll have when I leave," he says.

Though both boys wish to study music after high school, they realize that it is important to have a backup plan.

"Talent is essential," Kathryn Ingersoll says, "but you have to be lucky too. They're willing to work hard, but we'll wait and see what happens."

Despite a three year age difference, the brothers consider themselves close. "We're always with each other," Spencer says. "We argue sometimes, but who doesn't?"

"We're too close," Brycen says. "Spencer knows things about me that I would definitely prefer he keep between us."

Their brotherly bond extends to the music realm as well. They each take pride in the other's accomplishments and are thrilled with the other's success. Spencer recalls hearing Brycen play after winning All State for the second time and watching with pride as audience members and other competitors were astounded.

"I was like, 'Yeah! That's my brother!'"