Laura S. Strickland
Strickland is the Principal Flutist for the Arizona Pro Arte Ensemble and a soloist in the upcoming concert, The Winds; Woodwind Masterworks, on Friday, January 25 and Saturday, January 26. For more info, go here.
When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Either KBAQ or 101.5. Classical most of the time since it can be reflective of pretty much any mood, but pop when I just need some brain-numbing.
What's the first album you bought? Depeche Mode, Construction Time Again. Even though I was discovering classical music at this time, I couldn't shake my addiction to electronic music.
What's the first concert you saw? The Cure in Chicago. I was so naive that I was shocked and devastated that they were too high to make it through the whole concert.
What's your favorite concert you've ever been to? Chicago Symphony's performance of Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring conducted by Georg Solti. It was so intense that I still get goose bumps just thinking about it.
What's the last song played on your music player? Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10. Little known fact: Classical music, especially extensive symphonic works, are great to work out to because you just can't bear to quit your workout until you hear the whole piece.
Preferred format: CD, vinyl, cassette, 8-Track or digital? Digital. As an orchestral musician, I want to hear the precision of the string section, the edginess of the horns playing fortissimo and, of course, the varying tone colors of the flutes.
What's your favorite album? Poe's Hello. So clever, introspective and alluringly sexy.
Who is your favorite singer or band? Frank Sinatra. I guess I'm just a sap at heart.
What was your favorite new or new-to-you album from the past year? Dry River Yacht Club out of Tempe. They play gypsy Western folk music with an eclectic combination of bassoon, violin, tuba, accordion, bass clarinet and percussion -- an ensemble you'd never imagine would work so well. Their energy and music is hypnotic, though.
What band do you wish was still together? Poe. Tragic that such a talented musician got caught up with contract issues that destroyed her career.
What one song would you play if you had a world-wide radio audience? "Summer at the Monastery," for two flutes and electronics, commissioned for me and Christina Reedis, another flutist in town. It was composed by Noah Potter, a composer trained at University of Chicago and now working as a film composer out of L.A.
Who is your favorite local artist? Joe Corral, former Phoenix Symphony flutist, who can really kick it with his jazz band Floote Prints.
What is your favorite local venue to see music? Desert Botanical Garden. The garden is such a gorgeous setting to relax and enjoy one of the great groups that come in for the Music in the Garden series!
What is your favorite music video? Love this video of the Chicago Symphony doing the 3rd movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 with close-ups of my former flute teacher, Walfrid Kujala (Northwestern University), ripping it up on the piccolo!
