Westminster Instructor Lands First Chair Flute in Symphony

Kathleen Schott, woodwind instructor at Westminster College, recently earned the first flute chair in the West Virginia Symphony.

 "I auditioned for the West Virginia Symphony because it's a great orchestra," Schott said.  "The symphony and conductor Grant Cooper have a really great reputation."

 Schott was one of 60 applicants for the position, which included acting principal chair Mary Ann Nelson.  Auditions are blind.  The flutists play one at a time on one side of a screen.  Copper and five section leaders listen on the other side.

 "The way it works is that if there is an opening, principal chair for example, everyone who wants to have the job needs to take the audition, whether you play already with the orchestra or not," Schott said.  "If the second flutist would have won, then the runner-up would have been offered her second chair position."

 Schott is also the principle flutist for the Youngstown Symphony for the past four years.  She has agreed to work out scheduling conflicts in West Virginia's favor because this position not only offers an increased salary, but also tours more frequently than Youngstown.

 At Westminster Schott teaches woodwind pedagogy, woodwind masterclass, instrumental lab methods, and private lessons to three flute majors.  She also plays with the Faculty Woodwind Quintet and coaches the Westminster Flute Choir.  She also teaches about 25 private students near her home in Harmony and plays many church concerts.

 Schott, who has been with Westminster since 2003, earned her undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University and her master's from Rice University.

 Contact the Westminster College Department of Music at (724) 946-7270 for more information.

Kathleen Schott