Erinn Frechette, Piccolo and Third Flute
Are you a native Charlottean?
No, I am from Indianapolis, Indiana
What drew you to your instrument?
My mother, who is an instrumental music teacher in the Indianapolis Public School System, brought home a violin and flute and gave me lessons on both for a few weeks. I preferred the sound of the flute and chose it for further studies. My first teacher was my grade school band instructor.
What are the challenges and opportunities unique to your instrument?
Piccolo is a very challenging chair to hold. The instrument is naturally bright and loud, but composers often want to feature it in its softer dynamic range. Players spend years perfecting the ability to control the sound and pitch of the instrument in a soft dynamic. There are also many times in which the piccolo is used to support and/or enhance the timbre of the strings or brass,
so the player must blend their sound and pitch to match and compliment another instrument. Having said that, there are many exciting solos in orchestral repertoire that feature the piccolo and I love performing them!
Do you teach?
I teach at Wingate University and in my home.
What music do you enjoy listening to, classical and otherwise?
Anything but country, but I am usually “music-ed out” and listen to NPR.
If you weren’t a classical musician, what would you be doing?
I love science and would probably be in a research lab trying to unlock some mystery of the human body. I also follow NASA, Fermilab, and CERN as I am interested in space and particle physics.
What's your favorite spot in Charlotte?
At home with my husband, son, and pets.