Piano Lessons in Mesquite, TX

Instruments: Flute Piccolo

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I decided at a very young age that I wanted to pursue music professionally and I never changed my mind. I learned to play flute in fifth grade and by middle school I knew I wanted to do this for a career. 28 years later I still haven’t changed my mind.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
I do have a few musical family members. I have an aunt who played piano, organ, oboe and Clarinet and a grandmother who played flute and piano. I am the only one in my family who pursed music professionally.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
I would love to perform the Franck Sonata which was originally written for Violin, the Strauss Sonata which was also originally written for Violin and Chant de Linos for Flute and Piano written by Jolivet.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
If I weren’t a musician I think I would still be working in the Arts field. I probably would have studied Arts Administration or Entertainment Law and focused on assisting musicians with collective bargaining agreements and mediation.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I really enjoy playing in pit orchestras for theater productions. I have been fortunate to play for shows like Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, The Wiz, Once on this Island, Sister Act, Into the Woods, Pippin, Camelot and King and I

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
During a normal practice session for me I like to spend 20-30 minutes warming up with long tones to really get my body, breath and tone focused for work. Then I like to spend 20-30 minutes doing some technique work either through various exercises or etudes. From there I would go into working on whatever flute repertoire I am learning at the time.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a Master of Music in Flute Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance. I chose these degrees because I love the performing aspect of flute playing. I love being able to share the great works of the flute repertoire with an audience. Performing brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
I have a few different teaching methods that I like to use. I generally choose them based on each student individually. My go to method is the Flute 101 series written by Patricia George. I think she does a great job of giving beginning flutists a strong start with the basics of the instrument.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
I think the hardest thing for most beginners on flute is breathing. As flutists we loose a lot of our air out of the sides of our mouth because we blow across the tone hole instead of in it. Because of this many beginners find learning how to control their air stream difficult.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
My students have been selected for District honor band and All-State Band, received college scholarships in music, received superior ratings at our district solo and ensemble festival and often hold the principal chair in their school’s band program. They succeed because of their strong work ethic and dedicated practice. They also set musical goals for themselves and consistently do the work to achieve their desired results.

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