Q & A with Peg
Get to know Peg better...
Who are your musical influences, classical, rock, all genres if applicable?
I must tell you, I like all genres of music and have listened to most of it at one time or another. On the classical side I love all the romantic/impressionist composers including Ravel and Debussy. I have grown to love Dvorak and Mahler and today am open to many great composers of our day. I am a big Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project lover. One of my first records was of Roberta Flack. Still love her. Flute wise, I grew up listening to Rampal and Baker. They are two of my most prolific musical experiences that I hold close to my heart.
What is your most memorable performance?
That had to be at Carnegie Hall. I have had many memorable performances there including an all Russian concert (which I almost didn’t perform because of recent actions by Putin, but was convinced by my management that I really needed to perform that concert because of this). I didn’t play the concert all that well on my flute, but my soul was really into the concert and the audience just went wild for it! It taught me that it is not all about the notes….but it is about the music….the soul you bring to it. It is what is inside you that stands out. If a performer is willing to be vulnerable on stage, the dividends are immense. The audience was made up of mostly WWII survivors from Russia. Little did I know this until I walked out and saw everyone. They did their welcoming rhythmic clapping and I was moved to tears. When I ended the concert with a Russian folk tune as an encore, I heard audience members singing and crying along. That was memorable. How can you forget that?
Your most humorous performance?
I have a piece where I perform flute and piano at the same time. I always do “stupid” things during the performance of that tune…like tuning up with myself….giving a hand to my accompanist (which is me). It is deadpan humor, but audiences always love that.
Who are your dream collaborators?
I think I have a pretty amazing “dream team” right now with Psalm Space. It has been an amazing time working with my 9 time Grammy winning producer, Neal Merrick Blackwood. I could not have a more kind, supportive and talented producer. This is the dream “Right Now”! I’m living it!
Who are your favorite composers and why?
I must admit, I love JS Bach. Why, because he is a genius of the written note. During his lifetime he was not well regarded, in fact he was turned down for many job positions. That in itself is SUCH an amazing thing. Here is this man that composes a cantata EVERY week for his church choir and is still not taken seriously. Today, it is much the opposite. I am truly inspired by JS Bach and what he stands for today. His music is OUR music just in different forms and languages!
If you were not a musician what would you do?
That is perhaps a loaded question. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology. I was studying to set up computer systems for large corporations. Never happened, but I was intrigued by the whole concept. I have a Travel Degree and worked in the travel industry for years. I was an assistant manager of a hotel restaurant. I was also a purchaser of brass and copper. I taught music and flute at the high school and university level for several decades. To answer your question, I would probably do anything where I could create something from nothing. I love to create. I am an inventor of sorts.
List three things on your bucket list:
How do you balance personal and professional life...any tips?
Many times, I just shut off my smart phone and computer for hours. That is important.
Regarding the creative process...do you have a preference, live performance, composing, studio?
That is a difficult answer because I learn and garner inspiration from each of these aspects of my career. I have always had composition in my “back pocket”. I love to create “something that is already in the air” into something “tangible”. That is incredible to me and will remain so as long as I am on this earth.
You have met a lot of interesting and doubtless famous people over the years...who stands out?
No doubt, hands down the late Mstislav Rostropovich (the celebrated Russian dissident cellist) and the late Geoffrey Gilbert (former London Symphony Orchestra principal flautist and teacher to Galway). I got to perform a concert with Mstislav and he celebrated my performance after his guest appearance on stage. It was touching and so beautiful. Geoffrey Gilbert was a force and he has always inspired me to keep playing and he totally believed in me and what I presented.
You bring a lot of joy and seem to love your craft and people...any regrets? How do you stay so up in a sometimes negative world and often difficult business?
I am called to do what I do by a force greater than myself. There are no regrets ever. My faith, the people I choose to surround myself with make all the difference in the world. I sometimes place “white light” around myself when I feel threatened. There is something greater, something better….never fear!!!
If a young person asked you for career advice what would you say?
Do what your soul asks you to do….not what your intellect tells you to do. There is a difference….your soul knows you….find something greater than yourself….get out of yourself because by serving others it will humble you and make life worth living. Never be satisfied and love yourself, because you are loved, scrapes and all!
What is the best advice you ever got?
“Never put your flute down” told to me by my Mom as she was dying.
You have a demanding schedule...how do you stay healthy?
I try to exercise, having dogs helps with this, daily walks and fun playtime. I do belong to a gym and do some working out there. Stretching is big for me. I also love to play tennis but don’t see the court all that much right now. Hope to change that. I don’t smoke or drink liquor or coffee, but I do LOVE chocolate. 😊
What do you hope your legacy will be?
That I inspired those that need inspiration, that I brought hope to the hopeless and that I brought a bit of beauty and honesty to a broken world. My ultimate legacy would be to bring people that don’t want to know God or don’t know God to God. That would be extraordinary!
The joke is how do you get to Carnegie Hall...answer practice, practice, practice...You are no stranger to that legendary stage so...that said do you practice a lot? How often? Were you a disciplined kid learning music?
How disciplined…perhaps not so much…but I loved singing, the flute, the piano and the pen and paper to compose. I was and still am a dreamer. Music helped me go to that world. I could and still do invent as I play. I spent hours in the practice room but I also had incredible teachers that inspired me to go to that practice room. I also found a group of close friends that hung out in the practice rooms that became and still are close friends. They all have successful music careers today as well. There is a real love to practice and being solitary. Perhaps that is when I could communicate with God best. Perhaps that was the draw, whatever is was and is, I am thankful for that.
What is your favorite music when you are sad? Happy? Reflective? Celebratory?
Wow, okay, I must say I CRAVE Psalm Space. Yes, I created it and I have listened to it now hundreds of times, I still LOVE it! Sad, Happy, Celebratory…..that is why I know Psalm Space is Special!
Of all genres why classical? Do you want to explore, integrate other genres?
I absolutely want to merge genres of music, that is one of my reasons for composing the music I do. To connect people to all genres of music. You will find that hopefully in Psalm Space! By the way, classical music challenges and enlightens me but so does all genres of music!!!
Where do you see classical music going?
I fear that the classical community can be so closed, like a royal, rich, educated society. But, I am here to say to you that I don’t want that to happen. I am not one of those people. My Mom always said, “Be common Peggy, be humble.” I never forgot this. Classical music cannot become this and I know the classical world is really trying to reach out over the borders of this perceived perception I mentioned earlier. Yes, let us strive to connect with each other, but let us not forget our roots!
How would you want to inspire young people to play and appreciate music as you have? Making more accessible?
I think it is super important than we try to maintain different genres of music instead of “mass merging” genres of music together for marketing purposes. It is important we stay true to ourselves. It is also important that we maintain the dignity and respect for good sound, message and performance in our future music. Musicians must respect themselves and Music must respect itself for us to fight for our careers and our talent. Musicians have spent years studying and practicing and we need to be treated as highly skilled professionals, which we are. We must fight for our rights to a sustainable wage if we are to survive.
Anything else you might want to share...
I would like to take the space to thank all the people in my life, past and present that have made Psalm Space possible today! That is most likely who ever is reading this. My hope is to help change the world a little bit for the better with Psalm Space!!!
Who are your musical influences, classical, rock, all genres if applicable?
I must tell you, I like all genres of music and have listened to most of it at one time or another. On the classical side I love all the romantic/impressionist composers including Ravel and Debussy. I have grown to love Dvorak and Mahler and today am open to many great composers of our day. I am a big Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project lover. One of my first records was of Roberta Flack. Still love her. Flute wise, I grew up listening to Rampal and Baker. They are two of my most prolific musical experiences that I hold close to my heart.
What is your most memorable performance?
That had to be at Carnegie Hall. I have had many memorable performances there including an all Russian concert (which I almost didn’t perform because of recent actions by Putin, but was convinced by my management that I really needed to perform that concert because of this). I didn’t play the concert all that well on my flute, but my soul was really into the concert and the audience just went wild for it! It taught me that it is not all about the notes….but it is about the music….the soul you bring to it. It is what is inside you that stands out. If a performer is willing to be vulnerable on stage, the dividends are immense. The audience was made up of mostly WWII survivors from Russia. Little did I know this until I walked out and saw everyone. They did their welcoming rhythmic clapping and I was moved to tears. When I ended the concert with a Russian folk tune as an encore, I heard audience members singing and crying along. That was memorable. How can you forget that?
Your most humorous performance?
I have a piece where I perform flute and piano at the same time. I always do “stupid” things during the performance of that tune…like tuning up with myself….giving a hand to my accompanist (which is me). It is deadpan humor, but audiences always love that.
Who are your dream collaborators?
I think I have a pretty amazing “dream team” right now with Psalm Space. It has been an amazing time working with my 9 time Grammy winning producer, Neal Merrick Blackwood. I could not have a more kind, supportive and talented producer. This is the dream “Right Now”! I’m living it!
Who are your favorite composers and why?
I must admit, I love JS Bach. Why, because he is a genius of the written note. During his lifetime he was not well regarded, in fact he was turned down for many job positions. That in itself is SUCH an amazing thing. Here is this man that composes a cantata EVERY week for his church choir and is still not taken seriously. Today, it is much the opposite. I am truly inspired by JS Bach and what he stands for today. His music is OUR music just in different forms and languages!
If you were not a musician what would you do?
That is perhaps a loaded question. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology. I was studying to set up computer systems for large corporations. Never happened, but I was intrigued by the whole concept. I have a Travel Degree and worked in the travel industry for years. I was an assistant manager of a hotel restaurant. I was also a purchaser of brass and copper. I taught music and flute at the high school and university level for several decades. To answer your question, I would probably do anything where I could create something from nothing. I love to create. I am an inventor of sorts.
List three things on your bucket list:
- Bring Psalm Space to as many people that need it worldwide.
- Start a Psalm Space Foundation to help people in some way.
- To create and present several more chapters of Psalm Space including the true story of a dear college friend that died and came back to life.
How do you balance personal and professional life...any tips?
Many times, I just shut off my smart phone and computer for hours. That is important.
Regarding the creative process...do you have a preference, live performance, composing, studio?
That is a difficult answer because I learn and garner inspiration from each of these aspects of my career. I have always had composition in my “back pocket”. I love to create “something that is already in the air” into something “tangible”. That is incredible to me and will remain so as long as I am on this earth.
You have met a lot of interesting and doubtless famous people over the years...who stands out?
No doubt, hands down the late Mstislav Rostropovich (the celebrated Russian dissident cellist) and the late Geoffrey Gilbert (former London Symphony Orchestra principal flautist and teacher to Galway). I got to perform a concert with Mstislav and he celebrated my performance after his guest appearance on stage. It was touching and so beautiful. Geoffrey Gilbert was a force and he has always inspired me to keep playing and he totally believed in me and what I presented.
You bring a lot of joy and seem to love your craft and people...any regrets? How do you stay so up in a sometimes negative world and often difficult business?
I am called to do what I do by a force greater than myself. There are no regrets ever. My faith, the people I choose to surround myself with make all the difference in the world. I sometimes place “white light” around myself when I feel threatened. There is something greater, something better….never fear!!!
If a young person asked you for career advice what would you say?
Do what your soul asks you to do….not what your intellect tells you to do. There is a difference….your soul knows you….find something greater than yourself….get out of yourself because by serving others it will humble you and make life worth living. Never be satisfied and love yourself, because you are loved, scrapes and all!
What is the best advice you ever got?
“Never put your flute down” told to me by my Mom as she was dying.
You have a demanding schedule...how do you stay healthy?
I try to exercise, having dogs helps with this, daily walks and fun playtime. I do belong to a gym and do some working out there. Stretching is big for me. I also love to play tennis but don’t see the court all that much right now. Hope to change that. I don’t smoke or drink liquor or coffee, but I do LOVE chocolate. 😊
What do you hope your legacy will be?
That I inspired those that need inspiration, that I brought hope to the hopeless and that I brought a bit of beauty and honesty to a broken world. My ultimate legacy would be to bring people that don’t want to know God or don’t know God to God. That would be extraordinary!
The joke is how do you get to Carnegie Hall...answer practice, practice, practice...You are no stranger to that legendary stage so...that said do you practice a lot? How often? Were you a disciplined kid learning music?
How disciplined…perhaps not so much…but I loved singing, the flute, the piano and the pen and paper to compose. I was and still am a dreamer. Music helped me go to that world. I could and still do invent as I play. I spent hours in the practice room but I also had incredible teachers that inspired me to go to that practice room. I also found a group of close friends that hung out in the practice rooms that became and still are close friends. They all have successful music careers today as well. There is a real love to practice and being solitary. Perhaps that is when I could communicate with God best. Perhaps that was the draw, whatever is was and is, I am thankful for that.
What is your favorite music when you are sad? Happy? Reflective? Celebratory?
Wow, okay, I must say I CRAVE Psalm Space. Yes, I created it and I have listened to it now hundreds of times, I still LOVE it! Sad, Happy, Celebratory…..that is why I know Psalm Space is Special!
Of all genres why classical? Do you want to explore, integrate other genres?
I absolutely want to merge genres of music, that is one of my reasons for composing the music I do. To connect people to all genres of music. You will find that hopefully in Psalm Space! By the way, classical music challenges and enlightens me but so does all genres of music!!!
Where do you see classical music going?
I fear that the classical community can be so closed, like a royal, rich, educated society. But, I am here to say to you that I don’t want that to happen. I am not one of those people. My Mom always said, “Be common Peggy, be humble.” I never forgot this. Classical music cannot become this and I know the classical world is really trying to reach out over the borders of this perceived perception I mentioned earlier. Yes, let us strive to connect with each other, but let us not forget our roots!
How would you want to inspire young people to play and appreciate music as you have? Making more accessible?
I think it is super important than we try to maintain different genres of music instead of “mass merging” genres of music together for marketing purposes. It is important we stay true to ourselves. It is also important that we maintain the dignity and respect for good sound, message and performance in our future music. Musicians must respect themselves and Music must respect itself for us to fight for our careers and our talent. Musicians have spent years studying and practicing and we need to be treated as highly skilled professionals, which we are. We must fight for our rights to a sustainable wage if we are to survive.
Anything else you might want to share...
I would like to take the space to thank all the people in my life, past and present that have made Psalm Space possible today! That is most likely who ever is reading this. My hope is to help change the world a little bit for the better with Psalm Space!!!