Flute Journey at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
On Friday, April 25th I had the pleasure of taking Flute Journey on the road!
This time, to Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center in Kirkwood, Missouri.
The day started early - before leaving Jefferson City - with a morning show interview on KTRS with McGraw in the Morning.
This was my first radio interview, so I had no idea what to expect!
The hosts and Dan Zarlinga (MDC Media Specialist) made me feel super comfortable, and it ended up being really fun! I always love talking about music and nature, so I shouldn’t have been so surprised.
This was also my first time to visit Powder Valley, and when we arrived (in the pouring rain…) I was immediately struck by how a nature area in a densley populated area like St. Louis can feel so secluded and peaceful.
The grounds are expansive with several hiking trails meandering through the property, and a neat visitor’s center full of all sorts of interesting wildlife. When we arrived, one of their resident snakes had just shed her skin - a fascinating process to witness!
A beautiful sign (designed by a talented Powder Valley staff member) displayed at the entrance.
After meeting the wonderful staff and touring the building, I stepped into the auditorium to set up and do a sound check.
These nature center auditoriums always seem so massive when they are empty - a bit intimidating, if I’m being honest. But all throughout the afternoon, the volunteers and staff were so encouraging and let me know how excited they were to experience Flute Journey live.
Once we got the projector ready with all of my footage and I had a chance to warm up a little, my husband (a.k.a. the AV wizard) and I drove to a local restaurant for some dinner and to relax before show time.
I usually feel a strong wave of nervous energy during the lead up to a solo concert, so it was nice to sit outside, take a few breaths, and remind myself of how excited I was to share my program with the audience.
After a couple of hours, it was time to get ready!
The staff at Powder Valley gave me star treatment, complete with a private room to get dressed… one that I shared with a little snake friend. I was too amped up to get a picture of her, but you’ll have to trust that she was seriously the cutest snake.
After my introduction, I walked on stage and faced one of the most lovely crowds I have experienced thus far in my solo concerts. They were warm, welcoming, and so gracious as I worked through my initial nervous energy.
I prepared several new pieces for this concert - along with new stories and nature footage.
Some exciting additions were a few videos I synced up to my music - like this first piece I played, called Aubade.
“Aubade” translates to “dawn serenade”, and so I thought it would be really neat to play it with a sunrise time lapse in the background. Capturing the sunrise a few weeks earlier at Binder Lake was almost as fun as sharing the whole experience with the audience.
Another highlight was sharing a new piece called In Search of Aquatic Life (by Jonathan Mitchell) in conjunction with kayaking footage I captured last year on the Eleven Point River.
I shared many other stories and pieces of music with collections of static pictures - but I heard from several audience members afterward that they especially enjoyed the “go-pro” style footage.
I guess that means I need to plan more nature trips??
Oh, darn...
At the tail end of the program, we had a special treat planned for the audience.
We invited all of them outside to a little overlook to experience one last story and piece of flute music as the sun set.
I chose a Scottish tune to share along with a story of a magical evening I experienced while watching an otter glide through the misty water of Round Spring.
After I finished playing, several audience members told me that a deer approached me from behind and stood to listen for a while. When the sound of the applause hit, she ran away. I was sad I didn’t get to see her, but felt honored she stopped to listen in.
Since Flute Journey is still in its early stages, I’m always curious to see how the audience will respond. I know that I love the idea of combining music with nature stories and footage - but just because I love it doesn’t mean everyone else will.
Well, whatever doubt I was carrying was washed away by all of the lovely comments I received in person after the concert and even in the couple of weeks after I returned home.
I was blown away by how touched some of the audience members were - and I loved hearing what each person’s favorite part was. And it was different for everyone!
I know I had a blast - and I am so fortunate to surround myself with music, nature and storytelling every stinking day… AND get to share with others.
Because, for me, sharing it with you is what it’s all about.
Thanks so much for being here!
If you want to experience more music and nature, you can see a few clips of the concert here - and if you want a piece of Flute Journey for your very own, head to my shop and download a recording of Woodland Reverie - one of my favorite pieces to share on my program.
Have a beautiful day, and I will see you again soon.