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Winning the Byrd competition last March was a huge honor, and I am thrilled to be performing the Reinecke Concerto with the Flint Symphony Orchestra on the 23rd of January.
The Reinecke Concerto is an extremely fun piece to play largely because it is a highly expressive piece. In addition, the piece is also somewhat new to me, so it is still very fresh and exciting for me to experience the work differently every time. Preparing a concerto for a  performance with an orchestra, or for a competition, typically spans several years of practicing, score study and trial run-throughs for patient friends and family. For the competition, I performed the flute concerto of Jacques Ibert, which is an extremely difficult piece, and subsequently, I knew that I would need to have several trial performances of it before bringing it to the competition. I feel as though I grow with a piece exponentially every time I perform it, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to share my interpretation of the Reinecke with the Flint community.
I have visited Flint on numerous occasions to perform at the Music at St. Paul’s Series, and it is always satisfying to play for such appreciative audiences. I first competed in the Byrd competition when I was about 19, and these opportunities came about after the artistic director at St. Paul’s heard me at the competition.
The competition last March was actually my third (and final!) attempt, and I constantly remind my students that a life in music is regularly created though perseverance, dedication and simply never giving up! I currently teach a wonderful studio of aspiring flutists at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Although it is a huge change from growing up in Toronto and going to school in the New York City area, I enjoy my job immensely.
Having the opportunity to have a career based in both teaching and performing is a dream come true. I decided to play the flute in the 7th grade because it would easily fit in my backpack, meaning that I could ride my bike to school! Coming from such humble beginnings, it was certainly way beyond my wildest imagination that I would have such a truly rewarding life in music. I will forever be indebted to the Byrd competition and those who organize it for this experience.
Conor Nelson is Assistant Professor of Flute at Oklahoma State University. Recent performances include engagements with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Repertory Orchestra and the Philharmonia of Yale. Nelson is the 2009 winner of the William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition and will perform Reinecke Concerto in D Major for Flute and Orchestra with the Flint Symphony Orchestra on January 23.
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