Charles "Chase" Spruill IV

Hometown: Vacaville, California

Major: Music, with a concentration in violin performance. Class of 2008.

Background: Became interested in violin in fifth grade because of the music his parents enjoyed, such as Tower of Power and Barry White. “It was really lush and romantic and exciting.” Injured his knee in sixth grade and was in a wheelchair for months, but still had his violin. “That’s really where I started going forward.” Attended Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville his freshman and senior years and was home-schooled in between to better accommodate his practicing and performing. Applied to Sacramento State because his mother graduated from here with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. He came to some classes with her and enjoyed watching the campus change over the years.

Influences: Itzhak Perlman, who overcame polio at the age of four to become a renowned violinist.

Highlight: “I’ve been fortunate and lucky enough to be able to do things for the music department that required me going out onto the campus and meeting people of different majors.”

Proudest Accomplishment: Getting recognition for a violin, piano and cello trio in which he plays. “People around the university got wind of that, and suddenly we were off performing for all these major things.”

Destination: “Hopefully, graduate school, and ‘where’ is still a big question mark. I just want to continue … to better my craft and perform a lot and meet people who want to do the same thing.”