What made you laugh when you first met the horn?
I originally chose horn because no one else had signed up and I wanted to be different. Well, someone else ended up choosing it after me so we were the pair of horns in 6th grade band. He was such a goofball and once showed me how part of his breakfast made it into his mouthpiece. He was always doing stuff like that, which was funny when you’re in sixth grade and as a teacher now, it makes me roll my eyes, and still laugh a little.
What is the best thing about being a musician?
The best thing about being a musician for me is the variety – one week will be a classical concert, the next week a chamber concert, the next a pops concert or a musical. So many different styles and venues and artists to work with. It never gets boring.
Despite all of that was there ever something other than music that you could have seen yourself pursuing as a career?
So, if I was not a musician I think I would be a teacher, but not a music teacher. I love teaching students right now and I think my love of teaching would drive me in that direction. Why not teach music? I like the challenge of getting outside my comfort zone.
How has music/your instrument supported you this past year?
With gigs few and far between, it’s been the teaching that has financially supported me. But playing with ‘Rona and practicing has also supported my mental health. As we all deal with life being turned upside down, horn for me has been some stability I can count on. It also feels good to express myself, even though I don’t get to do it with other people in person at the moment. That outlet is life-affirming and more powerful than we sometimes realize.
As you move forward what do you plan on improving?
On the technical side of things, I’ve been working on my articulation and high register. Articulation, especially speed, is easy to neglect when you don’t always have immediate feedback and as you get older things can get slower. I’ve made sure to incorporate more of that into my daily routine. Other than playing itself, ‘Rona has inspired me to try my hand at arranging. I’ve done a few of the arrangements for the Valentine’s concert and have been working on some others for a possible Spring program. It’s been a learning process as I write the arrangements and then record the parts realizing what will and what will not work! I know my colleagues will give me great feedback, too!
‘Rona Quartet 