Sofie Hartwick bought herself a flute because she loved them and wanted to express the music she heard within herself.
She blew her flute a few times to get a note, but couldn’t, so put it away.
Somewhere along the way, a well-meaning flutist put the fear of God, or more accurately, the fear of flutes, into her, by commenting on how careful one must be with a flute as it is so fragile. That sealed the spiel into aulophobia, or fear of flutes. Her flute languished for seven years.
Last fall, Hartwick and mom Sharon explored one of Caetani Cultural Centre’s Art Marts. They got into conversation with Devon Muhlert, who teaches various instruments from her studio there.
Fear of flutes came up, and Muhlert said, “Yup, that’s my tagline: We cure aulophobia.”
“I think we’ve found our flute teacher,” said Sharon to her daughter.
A mere nine months later, Hartwick plays with great musicianship and beautiful tone. She looks very happy when she meets her own high expectations. Now bonded with her flute, she reads the sheet music which had given her so much trouble.
“I’m a perfectionist and it was so frustrating.,” she said. “Before, I felt like I’d failed, so I put the flute aside and moved on to other things.”
Hartwick had also had an earlier negative experience with piano lessons.
“My teacher was old-school. She’d rap my knuckles when I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t read the notes properly. I got discouraged and quit.”
Always musical, Hartwick sang before she talked at age three and a half. She also sat with her mom, following her fingers on the piano. But after Grade 1, her confidence was shaken and she stopped singing altogether.
Hartwick didn’t participate in school music because she knew that playing in band would involve reading the notes that became an aversion.
Recently she started therapeutic singing in addition to her flute lessons with Muhlert, who has a diploma in healing music. She also began to reclaim the gorgeous voice that was silenced for so many years.
Fortunately, Hartwick has overcome both aulophobia and fear of note-reading. She says it’s coming more easily now.
Hartwick will participate in the annual spring concert of Muhlert’s students, playing a solo, a duet, and in a flute trio. Other students will play guitar, saxophone, and flute.
The Caetani Capers will be held at the main courtyard of the Caetani Cultural Centre on Pleasant Valley Road, Sunday at 2 p.m.
For more information, contact Muhlert at 542-3228 or e-mail devonelle@telus.net.
