missioMy n

In graduate school, flutist and educator, Shantanique Moore wrote down one sentence in her journal: “I hope one day to play with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.”

Moore was studying under DSO Assistant Principal Flute Sharon Sparrow when an opportunity to sub with the orchestra presented itself.

“I just had knots in my stomach. I remember when I stepped onto the stage and sat down, I looked around. The stage felt so bright; it felt like all the light was on me. It was a very intense feeling. When I heard the first sound, all I could say was, ‘Whoa.’ I had never played in a group that sounded this good.”

Fast-forward to 2022 when Moore won her audition to become an African American Orchestra Fellow with the DSO, where she now graces the stage in Orchestra Hall alongside her mentor.

Prior to her appointment, the Detroit native—who grew up in Redford Township— completed a fellowship with the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Orchestra Training Program for African American Musicians and performed with the orchestra extensively for two years.

This career rotation also speaks to Moore’s artistic evolution. A DSO Civic Youth Ensembles alum, it was during those early Saturday morning rehearsals where she fell in love with orchestral playing and committed to the flute. But, when it was time to decide her college major, there was a brief tug-of-war between music and medicine. “When I would come to CYE rehearsals, I couldn’t imagine not playing my flute in the orchestra,” she recalls.

The singing quality of the flute attracted her. “That’s the closest thing to the human voice and I always wished I could sing,” she says. “I also love the way the instrument feels; the way it vibrates in my hands when I play. It’s beautiful.”

Music won and continues to grant her experiences and a journey she never thought possible.

With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Flute Performance from Wayne State University, music has led to performances with the Toledo Symphony, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and accolades including First Prize in the Ervin Monroe Young Artist Competition, the Southern Great Lakes Concerto Competition, and the Wayne State Concerto Competition. She also co-hosted The Progressive Flutist–a podcast that cultivated conversations about classical music in the 21st century.

Through music and being in flow with what the universe calls upon her creative ventures, Moore has the power to bring healing through sound.

“When I set out to do this as a career, I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen. I am grateful. As an orchestra fellow, my mission is to show up and deliver on stage here, and around the world; be present and show that this is for us too. It’s not lame,” she says. “I’m the Black girl sitting on stage playing the flute. You can be too.”

THE DETROIT MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION, A BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEGRO MUSICIANS, INC., AN HISTORIC ORGANIZATION

SINCE 1919, SALUTES CLASSICAL ROOTS AND SUPPORTS ITS MISSION!

Chandler Park Academy provides an immersive education experience and nurturing environment that helps every student prepare for the real world, transition to adulthood and compete

Chandler Park Academy School District provides an immersive educational experience and nurturing environment that helps every student prepare for the real world, transition to adulthood and compete globally in the