Musician Profile: Ann Choomack, Piccolo

Ann Choomack, Piccolo Soloist for this weekend's Metro Collection concert

Describe yourself in five words.
Silly, shy, competitive, animal lover

What’s the first song you ever remember hearing?
Take Me Home Country Roads written by John Denver, sung by my Dad

If you could only play one composition for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh how awful! There is so much great music out there to pick just one! But I suppose if I had to pick one it would the Partita in A minor by J.S. Bach.

What do you enjoy most when not performing music?
I enjoy eating (and occasionally cooking) good food with good friends.

Which composer (dead or alive) would you like to have dinner with?
I would like to have dinner with my old friend and wonderful composer Matt Fuerst. It’s so inspiring to be around people actively creating new music.

Currently, what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a musician?
At the moment, I seem to be most drawn to music that has lush harmonies.

Which composer (dead or alive) do you believe deserves more recognition for their achievements?
I think that the music of Erwin Schulhoff deserves more recognition. He wrote such interesting collections of instruments, including the piccolo, which do not get nearly enough attention!

As a faculty member at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro and maintain a private teaching studio, what inspires you to help foster music talents?
What inspires me about teaching is that moment of realization when a student “gets it”. After a period of really hard work, everything comes together and they can really feel the difference. That feeling of accomplishment is so exciting and I feel lucky to be a part of that experience.