Shelley P. | Flute & Piccolo | March 28, 2017
It was third grade, and my Montgomery County (Maryland) school assembled us into the cafeteria/auditorium for a presentation of instruments and the world of instrumental music. I dug everything hook, line, and sinker, and returned home enthusiastic, begging my parents for a FLUTE! I wanted to play that intriguing and beautiful metal thing so badly, and next thing I knew my parents presented me with a respectable Gemeinhardt. I took practice seriously. I don’t remember the names of my Elementary or Junior High music directors, but I do remember listening to them, practicing at home, and giving them the best I had.
Then, in 1981, my family moved to San Diego (my Dad’s hometown) and I got to attend SCPA (then named the O’Farrell School of Creative and Performing Arts and now the O’Farrell Charter School). I was in HEAVEN! My favorite times each year were the rehearsals and performances of our live productions: Fiddler on the Roof, Music Man, The Wiz, Where’s Charlie, etc. To this day I think fondly of my Music Director Mr. Arne Christiansen – we called him Mr. C, and sometimes Mr. B sharp at our geekiest silly. To this day Dayan G. and I am good friends. We attended many classes together and more importantly played together in Band from grades 7-12. Dad provided private flute lessons too, and I think I can safely say that I excelled. In my senior year, a High School counselor sternly advised me to ignore my desire to audition for music school and pursue a music career (I dreamed only of being a member of a city symphony orchestra). This advice came after evaluating a questionnaire I had to take, the results of which clearly indicated a passion for performance art. The counselor’s reason: you won’t make money in the performing arts. Dad counseled me to ignore this person and pursue my music dream, but I listed to the authoritative stranger instead.
In the years that followed I did other great things with my life, but there was always something important missing. Something at the core level that was missing and left me feeling incomplete. I think the universe was tired of seeing me go through life without my first love – instrumental music – and on my birthday in 2014 gave me TWO flutes! Both my Dad and Dayan gave me flutes for my birthday! That was it; I RE-EMBRACED MY LIFE PASSION and began to play again. I started practicing on my own, rebuilding my embouchure, tone, technique, ability to sight-read, etc… A year or so later I was fortunate enough to be accepted in two concert bands. I’m SO grateful to the Coronado Concert Band for accepting me into their musical family. I feel like a complete person, making music in band again, and experiencing the joy of performance. I have a lot fun during rehearsals, have made lots of new great friends, and my Dad’s really proud to see me on stage again, LOL!