Timeline...

• 1983- It's a Girl! On March 29th Baby Danielle is born in Whittier, California to Rudy and Deniese Nesmith.
  
  
• 1987- Danielle holds her first violin (tiny!) and begins "studying" the violin with Rosa Lee McKay at the Primanti Montessori School. Definitely not a child prodigy, but maybe there's potential behind all the hacking and screeching!
  
  
• 1989- Christmas-First of many years to come where Danielle is asked to play the violin at family gatherings. She will either whine, pout and flat out refuse or she'll play against her will and still whine and pout. This goes on until she's about 13 and finally begins to actually volunteer to play at Christmas!
  
  
• 1990-First private violin lesson taught by Elizabeth Lauretson.
  
  
• 1993 - 7th grade starts the new school year at Travis Ranch Elementary and begins study with Ed Persi.
  
  
• 1995 - Danielle picks up a new instrument along her way - the fretless electric bass. She plays the bass in her school jazz band for two years, winning numerous solo awards!
  
  
• 1997 - Leaves the bass behind and begins to really concentrate on the violin. Starts High School at Esperanza.
  
  
• 1999 - Wins the position of Concertmaster in the OCYSO (Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra) and the concerto competition prize. First time ever soloing with orchestra!
  
  
• Fall '99 - Wins position in AYS (American Youth Symphony) and starts as last chair 1st violin...will move up the ranks and eventually becomes Concertmaster!
  
  
• 2000 - Moves on to new teacher - Franklyn D'Antonio. Drives two hours every week to lessons in the Valley.
  
  
• 2001 - Accepted to USC School of Music and begins study with Elizabeth Pitcairn, assitant to Robert Lipsett.
  
  
• Summer '02 - First summer at ENCORE in Hudson, Ohio. What a wakeup call! There are so many talented players to look up to and learn from!
  
  
• 2005 - Graduates USC with a Bachelors in Violin Performance .... Travels with the Armstrong Quartet over the summer playing in Brazil and France.... Accepted into the Colburn School of Performing Arts in downtown L.A.
  
  
• Fall '05 - Wins first professional orchestra audition and becomes Assistant Concertmaster of the New West Symphony. Danielle's teaching career blossoms as her own student of almost a year gets accepted to USC!