Sydney Spilker dives into music for many of same reasons we listen: Because of how it makes her feel.Spilker is involved with marching band, children’s groups, string jam sessions for middle and high school students, and other wind ensembles and advanced orchestras.While she plays the tuba, piano, and, if pushed, the trombone, it’s the cello that fascinates her.The cello captured Spilker’s attention while she was playing the tuba a few seats over.“The sound, I would sit and just watch and listen,” she said. “I love the sound, it’s magical.”The cello is a tribute of sorts to her grandfather, a farmer. After he died, the family sold the farm equipment, with some of the money going to purchase her cello. “It’s his legacy that funded my legacy,” she said.Before falling in love with the cello, she picked up the tuba but was encouraged to play a smaller instrument, something to fit her size. She was determined to prove herself up to the task.She’s heading to Wartburg College in Iowa where she plans to study pre-med and biochemistry.While she says music is a release, she also sees a connection between music and the precise world of medicine. “It’s helped me to learn hard work and excel,” Spilker said. “It helps my organization. It’s insane what it has done for me.”