Every Saturday sophomore Emily Mulawa slowly and confidently walks into St. Charles Community College so she can play the French Horn for the St. Charles County Youth Orchestra.

“I think it’s really nice to play in a group of kids who actually care about playing the music right,” Mulawa said. “And playing in an orchestra instead of a band is a totally different experience.”

Whenever Emily pulls out her French Horn, a total sense of calm washes over her.

“Being able to sit down and play however I want to play and not have anyone tell me it’s wrong because it’s how I feel,” Emily said.

But being able to play however she feels not only brings Emily joy, it brings people close to her happiness as well.

“I just enjoy listening and watching her play because I know she enjoys it as well and just seeing the sense of accomplishment on her face,” father David Mulawa said.

Sometimes it seems that no matter how much parents support kids, it always makes them feel better if they have the support of friends. And luckily for Emily, she has a best friend that encourages her to always do her best.

“I support Emily so much. She brings unique style to her music and I don’t want her to give up on it. It’s something that is learned through the soul and at times it may seem like there’s nothing left to power through obstacles and in turn everything suffers. I hope [Emily] knows that when those moments come, she can count on me to keep her on the path of success,” Sara Maria Jensen, Emily’s best friend, said.

No matter how Emily is feeling during the day, it is always a comfort for her to come home and express her emotions through her music.

“If I’m feeling sad, happy or angry I play the horn and it just gets rid of those negative feelings,” Emily said.

For Emily, being one of only two French Horns in the symphony division of the Youth Orchestra is not only something to do for fun, but it’s a way to improve her playing skills. And all those hours on Saturdays have not gone unnoticed.

“I mean you can hear a lot of improvement in her practicing. It has a sense of motivation to perform well with the group,” David said.

Not only has playing for the Youth Orchestra enhanced her playing abilities, but it has also had other positive effects as well.

“It’s definitely made me more confident and made playing the horn an even bigger part of my life,” Emily said.

While Emily enjoys playing by herself, she particularly enjoys playing with the orchestra and encourages others who play instruments to join as well.

“If you get a chance to be in a youth orchestra you should definitely try it out,” Emily said. “It’s really an amazing experience.”