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During college , asamusical performance major at S�NY Purchase , she switched her focus from technical proficiency todeveloping her artistry with the help of Dr . Tara �elen O ’ Connor , currently Professor of Flute and Chair of Classical Studies atPurchase Conservatory ofMusic . O ’ Connor , she says ,“ changed my life .” Loggins-�ull also joined the prestigious New York Youth Symphony , where she met a young trumpeter named �eoff �ull ; they ’ ve been together ever since , and married in 200� .
�pon graduation from Purchase , Loggins-�ull was accepted into a prestigious music school to work with awell-known flutist toward another degree in performance . Itwas at this point that she experienced what she calls her “ quarter-life crisis .” �nsure if she wanted the life of an orchestral flutist , she decided totake some time off and gig in New York .
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It wasn ’ t an easy choice .“ The idea of taking time off isnot embraced in the classical music world ,” she says .“ It ’ slike saying you ’ re not aserious musician . But being anorchestral flutist is like being an athlete orfootball player . You have to put in 120� practicing all day and nail it every night . Iknew that life wasn ’ t for me . Iwas also curious about other genres of music beyond classical .”
�er former teacher praises her decision .“ Even as an undergraduate , Allison had this clarity about who she was and who she wanted to be ,” says O ’ Connor .“ When given the choice to study in one of the top graduate schools in the country , Allison stayed true to herself , and chose aroad that was at first uncertain and much more difficult . She took achance on herself because of her unfailing belief that nothing is insurmountable . Then and now , Allison exudes confidence , inclusion and honesty .”
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A SURPRISE SOLO OPENS UP NE� �ORLDS
Playing dive bars where the pay came from atip bucket was “ 99� unglamorous ,” she says , and she worried she was making amistake . One night a year or so in , while on stage at asmall Village venue , the “ click ” she ’ d been waiting for happened , when the singer asked her to solo .“ Ihad amini-panic attack on stage ,” she says .“ Improvising is not something you are trained to do in traditional pedagogy .” she managed to pull off asolo —“ nothing phenomenal ,” she says — and it lit aspark . “ I started spending more time improvising on my own ,” she says .“ Iapproached the flute in away Ihadn ’ t since Iwas 10 .”
Over time , she started writing down parts of her improvisations that she especially liked . �arage Band had just come out , allowing her to make tracks electronically and accompany herself on the flute . She liked being able to
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COUR�ES� OF RO�ER MAS�ROIANNI |