When I was growing up, my parents had the foresight and recognized that I was a musical person. There was a piano in my house, as well as an acoustic guitar, a flute, a clarinet, and a trombone. I tried them all. The piano was the instrument that I was naturally drawn to the most, but I also found a home in playing the flute.
My first one was an Armstrong. It was a chrome finish, C tuned flute. It was beautiful to me and I started lessons when I was in 4th grade. My music teacher was an amazingly gifted man. Mr. Stry would not only teach you, but he would also play accompanying music with you when you would do your lesson music at class with him. I had, and still have, the most fond memories of learning music with him. Within two years, I was in the All County Band as the third seat flutist and loving every minute of it. Unfortunately, my original flute was stolen, but my parents made sure I got another one.
There were a couple other teachers in high school, and competitions gave me the opportunity to solo-perform against other musicians on a state and on a national level. Some times I would win, some times I would not. Good times!
There was a point where I wanted to audition for the Albany Symphony Orchestra, but when they told me I needed to bring my flute and my piccolo, my heart sank because I didn't own a piccolo.
This one happens to be my sister's flute. I asked her if she had one I could goof around with, and when she gave me the Armstrong, I couldn't help but think about the amazing times I had in my youth playing music in band class.
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