Get to Know the New Members of Northshore Concert Band

Get to know the newest members of the Northshore Concert Band family through this series of mini-interviews! Don’t miss seeing and hearing Northshore Concert Band musicians, new and old, perform on February 16, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. during our Lifetime of Music concert at the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston, Illinois.

Daniel Fletcher

Daniel Fletcher plays the Flute and is an Orchestral Musician.

Please tell us a bit about your journey in music and life. I started playing by taking my mother’s flute out of her closet and printing out a fingering chart! I had no clue it would end up leading to a career. I attended Yale University and the University of North Texas for my degrees in Flute Performance and Music Education. I am excited to be living in Chicagoland and developing myself as a musician and a person.

What do you enjoy most about playing? I love playing chamber music! Having conversations and experimenting with musical ideas in this setting are so gratifying and you make the best of friends.

Who was your most influential music teacher? I’ve been blessed to have so many wonderful teachers in my life. It truly takes a village! Tara Helen O’Connor, in particular, has always made me feel like I have a place and voice in the musical world, but that is not to diminish all of my other wonderful teachers.

Does anyone in your family play music? My mother was a flute player! My great-grandfather played the clarinet and saxophone for his entire life in jazz bands, so music has long been a part of my family.

Do you have a favorite musical memory? Picking just one is a challenge! A recent standout was playing second flute to Amy Porter at the Brevard Music Center, performing Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 with Keith Lockhart conducting. It was truly inspiring to play with my mentors!

What have been some of your musical influences? I think that my Youth Orchestra Director, Barbara Scowcroft, really inspired me to always create beauty and that music provides a special place for all of us to connect in a unique way.

What is on your Spotify playlist or in your music library? These days, my life is so full of music that I enjoy turning to podcasts or YouTube videos! But when I do listen to music, I enjoy early 2000’s pop or classical!

What makes performing with Northshore Concert Band different from performing with other groups? It’s such a large community! I’m only barely starting to get to know people, but it’s inspiring to be around people who all have their own unique musical voices and are able to meaningfully contribute.

List three words to describe the Northshore Concert Band.

Encouraging, Community, Inspiring