Senior soloist to perform Mozart flute concerto in CHHS concert

Senior soloist Corinne Nicol.

The Heights High Symphony, under the direction of Daniel Heim, will feature senior soloist Corinne Nicol as part of the the Instrumental Music Department’s (IMD) Midwinter Concert Festival II on Friday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., in the Heights High Auditorium. Nicol and the Symphony will perform Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major.

Nicol knew she wanted to make music from the age of 6. She begged her parents to let her learn a variety of instruments, including the violin, harp, guitar and accordion. Wisely declining all of her requests, her parents instead decided to start her on the piano, with lessons from her mother. She continued on piano until she was 9, when she switched to flute. At age 10 she began taking private flute lessons with Linda Miller.

As a flautist, Nicol has performed in the Heights Marching Band, holding the position of Sergeant; and in the Symphonic Winds, Jazz Band, Symphony, Heights Woodwind Quintet, the Big Bang Jazz Trio, and District 7 Honors Band. Nicol has also performed in Heights Jazz on lead alto saxophone, earning several awards for Excellent Musicianship from the Lakeland Jazz Festival. She has been a counselor at Reaching Heights Music Camp and serves as vice president of service in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. This past summer, Nicol served as an intern at The Music Settlement and the Cleveland Play House, and has been a member of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra for three years.

Besides playing flute and saxophone, Nicol enjoys playing guitar, spending time with friends, reading, traveling, and going to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Next year she plans to move to Canada for her gap year, before pursuing a double major in flute performance and music education. 

Music means the world to her and she would love to bring that joy to people around the world.  Nicol is grateful for the support she has received, saying, "I would like to thank my ever-amazing flute teacher, Linda Miller, for putting up with my nonsense for eight years; my mom for encouraging and inspiring me; my dad for always supporting my dreams; my friends for making every day so much brighter; and the IMD directors for helping me to develop into a better musician and making my high school experience incredibly enjoyable."

The Heights High Instrumental Music Department's directors are Brett Baker, director of bands; Daniel Heim, director of orchestras; and Ben Ammon, director of chamber ensembles. The winter series begins on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m., with the Midwinter Concert Festival I, featuring the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and the Concert Orchestra. The series continues on Friday, Feb. 16, with the Symphonic Winds and the Heights High Symphony. Both concerts are preceded by performances by chamber ensembles at 6:30 p.m. A reception will follow the concert on Friday with entertainment by the jazz ensembles.