NCB COVID Chronicles, Part 4: Member Reflections — Kelly McGregor
Today, we bring you another member interview - this time with Northshore Concert Band piccolo, Kelly McGregor. Kelly joined the band in 2002, and has been heard playing countless piccolo solos in the past 18 years. You’ve undoubtedly heard her perform the iconic Stars and Stripes Forever solo at least once! Her husband, Chris, is our on-call guitarist for whenever a piece we’re playing calls for guitar.
We asked Kelly to reflect on her rehearsal experience at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome on August 26, 2020, tell us a little bit about her pandemic routine, and share she’s most excited about as we continue rehearsals this fall. We hope you enjoy this installment of NCB COVID Chronicles!
Were you nervous to resume rehearsals, given the current world climate?
I felt confident about going to rehearsal at the Velodrome because of all the communication we had from Mallory and the Board about how seriously they were taking our safety (and theirs!) and the incredibly thoughtful plans being put into place. So much work and careful planning went into getting us together that I felt much more comfortable going to rehearsal than I do going to the grocery store! My biggest worry was about how I would sound – I purchased a new piccolo made out of composite grenaditte, so that I can play outdoors in mixed weather conditions until October without risking my favorite wood piccolo. (There’s a running joke in my household that my husband Chris, who plays guitar on occasion with the NCB, gets a new instrument or piece of equipment for every performance, so this was a little payback!) Seems kind of silly to worry about that when the flutes were literally out in left field and we were competing with cicadas, planes, trains and automobiles to be heard. But, I don’t like to mess around when Mallory Thompson is standing in front of me, even if she is 50+ yards away and can barely hear me!
Kelly during our first socially distanced rehearsal at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome on August 26, 2020.
What feelings did you experience during and after our first rehearsal at the velodrome?
I wasn’t sure how I would feel but I can honestly say that during and after rehearsal, it’s the best I’ve felt in months. Getting to play music with people and absorbing all the positive energy that Mallory was projecting out to us really lifted my spirits. I was especially moved when we rehearsed “Amazing Grace,” sending something so beautiful out into the world that desperately needs it right now.
I have to say that while of course I miss the great acoustics of Pick-Staiger Concert Hall and the experience of feeling the resonance of a great ensemble in your chest, getting to just let ‘er rip for two hours without getting “the hand” was really fun! I don’t believe I’d ever heard the words “you can’t play too loudly” come out of Mallory’s mouth before that night. It was pretty much a piccolo player’s dream come true. It was also wonderful being in the same space with my fellow flutists and hearing their lovely sounds.
How did your musical routine change when the pandemic hit? Did you continue to practice regularly, or did your piccolo fall to the wayside?
I hate to admit that I was not as inspired to practice when the pandemic hit and many days the blues got the best of me. I did play my flute and my piano some for the enjoyment of doing so, but there were not many long-tones or Moyse studies going on in my house. With rehearsals to look forward to now though, I am finding more motivation to practice. Much to the dismay of my two cats (and husband), the piccolo is coming out of its case more often.
Have you tested out any piccolo personal protective equipment?
I actually have not tried any piccolo PPE solutions. Since I work in business and I have been diligently staying home for months, I haven’t really had the need. For flutes and piccolos, really the only option is a modified face mask with a pouch for inserting the head-joint, and I’m afraid that I won’t be able to hear myself play and that the sound will be really muffled to everyone else. And who wouldn’t want to hear the piccolo at full blast?!
What are you most excited about for the next eight weeks of rehearsal at The Grove?
I am excited for the continued fellowship of rehearsals, which I have missed greatly, and the joy I get to feel when playing music. The classic Holst Suites and Overture to Candide are some of my favorite band pieces and I’m really looking forward to rehearsing them. I am also a sucker for showtunes, so I’m glad we’ll be able to have some fun with those too. Since we’re all standing during rehearsals, I’m a little disappointed that I won’t be able to witness the standing/sitting shenanigans that accompany “Strike Up the Band” and always make us laugh, but it will be enjoyable nonetheless. The Grove is such a lovely setting and I am grateful for the opportunity to get to spend a little time there each week. Music + Nature + Wonderful People/Musicians = Good Therapy. It doesn’t get much better than that in my opinion!
Any parting thoughts?
No matter how dark things get, there is always good in the world and what we’re doing is evidence of that. The amount of time and energy that has gone into getting us all together safely is such a labor of love; the musicians of the NCB are driving for hours and taking personal risks to come together to create something beautiful, even if just for a little while. Mallory could have said that this isn’t worth her time, but there she is, as perfectly prepared as always and challenging us to consider every note and phrase, giving us the gifts of music, joy, and kindness. I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet, but at least that tunnel doesn’t feel quite as scary and lonely when I have my friends of the NCB to go through it with.
NCB flutes and oboe pose with Mallory Thompson for a commemorative “murder instruments” photo during a September rehearsal in Glenview, Illinois.
Next Week: Part 5, Planning for the New Normal
Next Wednesday, we explore the various considerations our planning committee made to ensure our members felt safe returning to in-person music making. In the meantime, find NCB on social media for exclusive, behind-the-scenes images and video clips from our social distanced rehearsals!
Miss our mini-concert last Sunday? Check out A Socially Distanced Celebration: An At-Home Concert Experience at any time here!