By SAIRA AHMED

Many would agree that there are few who understand the exact, limited value of 24 hours better than a Deerfield junior. More often than not, it is only the fear of meager college apps, threats, or promises of the all-important, life-giving pizza that can persuade a student to give up their few precious free hours to an activity that is not required.

Lillian Guth '05 can appreciate these demands on time as well as anyone. Originally from Northampton, Massachusetts, Guth finds time to balance academics, sports, and her passion for music. She is a member of Deerfield's swim team as well as the Chamber Music group.

But even with all these demands on her time, Guth, up until recently, found the time, devotion and talent to play with the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras' Senior Orchestra. The Senior Orchestra is the best of Boston's four Youth Symphony Orchestras; they also happen to be one of the best youth orchestras in the country. They are recognized world-wide.

Guth insists that, in spite of the time commitment (seven hours every Sunday), it was worth it. "Even though it was exhausting, I felt so happy when the audience gave us a standing ovation after we played."

Guth has played the violin for eight years now. She first saw a violin at a young age when she found her dad's, which he didn't know how to play himself. But music has always played a huge rule in Guth's life. "Somehow, music stirred my emotions from a young age," she says.

From ages eleven to fourteen, Guth was a member of the Smith College Orchestra and played with the Harvard Glee Club. She still practices several hours a week in addition to her Chamber Music class and private lessons.

Playing the violin has greatly impacted Guth. "[It's] a big part of my life," she says. "Music is a universal language and knows no prejudice or limits. Music speaks. Playing the violin connects me to the world. Music can take you anywhere, to the Russian moor, to a blues bar; music has made me laugh and cry. Once a person came up to me and wanted to shake my hand because my music made him cry. I didn't know before that that my playing had such powers."

After Deerfield, Lillian plans to continue taking private lessons in college, and wants to join a college orchestra. But Guth isn't completely sure if this is what she wants to do with the rest of her life because, as she says, there are so many other things still out there to be discovered.