If you have to hound your child to practice their instrument, don’t despair. Olivia Silva used to be that kid back in elementary school when she rebelled against the piano. A decade later, the 16-year-old Woodward Academy junior is an accomplished flutist who looks forward to practicing. “I enjoy practicing because I enjoy playing,” she said. And she plays a lot. Silva is involved with all the various ensembles at her school. Last Sunday , she performed at Atlanta Symphony Hall at an awards ceremony for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program, which works to identify and develop African-American and Latino students who want to pursue music as a career. Silva talked about the program and why the flute speaks to her.
Q: How did you become interested in the flute?
A: I joined band class in the fifth grade and immediately took a liking to it and the way it sounds. The flute is very versatile. It has a beautiful tone but it can play a big range of music genres. You can play it aggressively or you can play a slow, soft piece on it.
Q: Isn’t the flute one of the most difficult instrument to pick up?
A: It is. After I got my first flute, it took me a couple of days to finally make a little bit of a sound.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece of music that you play?
A: That is a hard question. I like Franz Doppler's "Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy" and George Enesco's "Cantabile et Presto."
Q: Do you play other instruments?
A: I play the electric guitar in the school jazz band and the baritone in the marching band. The flute is definitely my main instrument and I play it in the symphonic winds, our honor band, and with the symphony orchestra group.
Q: Are some people more musically inclined than others?
A: I would say some people are, but sometimes that can just mean that you have a good ear or a good pitch so you can listen and hear when a note is out of tune. That helps a lot.
Q: Do you still have to work hard if you are musically inclined?
A: Definitely. If you don't practice, you won't be able to develop your talent as much as you can. I try to play the flute every day. I think it is a good day if I can practice over an hour and a half.
Q: Can you talk about ASO’s Talent Development Program?
A: This is my second year and I am so glad I applied to be in it. It provides private lessons with members of the ASO and gives students a way to really develop their talents and make so many connections. It also provides scholarship money for summer music programs. This past summer, I got to go to the High School Flute Institute at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
Q: How was playing Symphony Hall?
A: It was a really cool experience for me. I had never played on that stage before and I got to play a duet with a harpist also in the program. I had never played with a harp before. We played Vincent Persichetti's Serenade No. 10 for flute and harp, which was different from any piece that I have ever played.
Q: Do you ever get nervous playing in front of a crowd?
A: I think everyone gets nervous a little bit, but just focusing on the music and having your best performance and having fun helps any nervousness to subside.
Q: Do you want to be a professional musician?
A: I was thinking along the lines of majoring in music education and becoming a music teacher and minoring in music performance. I definitely will not stop playing flute anytime soon.
Q: What does music bring to your life?
A: It definitely brings me joy. Music has such a wide range and it is fun to experiment. I've also become friends with so many people I wouldn't have otherwise known. I can have fun with people while doing something that we all love.
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