Fifteen year old Lily Walker is a high school student and the daughter of PCM faculty, Melissa Frey. She began her journey at PCM in the Young Musicians program in 2014, went on to study piano, and then began studying the French horn with Danielle Ondarza.

When PCM last interviewed Lily in 2021, the French horn was relatively new and she considered it a secondary instrument. Since then she’s participated in events including the Horn Intensive at Interlochen in Michigan, the All-State and All-Southern Symphonic Band, and the SCSBOA High School Wind Ensemble; was the youngest finalist in the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts’s Instrumental Competition; and performed in PCM’s 2024 Honors Recital.

Read on to hear about her experience at these events and to learn about how PCM helped prepare her.

This interview was conducted on 7/8/24 and has been edited for length and clarity.

How did it feel to be the youngest finalist and the Honorable mention in the Instrumental Competition at the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts? How did it feel to be mentioned in the Pasadena Outlook? What were some highlights from this event?
I was a little startled and daunted when I learned I was the youngest finalist. I was just really excited to have made it to the finals, and at that point, I knew I probably wasn’t going to win first prize but I was eager to hear what all the judges had to say, and they did not disappoint. Even though I was the youngest, I still really enjoyed performing and talking with some of the other finalists afterward.

When PCM last interviewed you in 2021, you mentioned the French Horn being your second instrument and a relatively newer instrument for you. How has your relationship with the French Horn changed since then? How does it feel now that it’s your primary instrument?
In the last blog post, I hadn’t been studying horn for long (and it was a little frustrating). Looking back on that almost 3 years later, it seems impossible that I considered the horn a secondary instrument. I have been playing for around 5 years and I couldn’t imagine where I would be if I hadn’t decided to pick up the horn. These last few years have taught me so much patience and perseverance. The last time I was featured in a post, the horn was something I thought might be fun, but now I can honestly picture myself pursuing horn performance in college and beyond. Now, my favorite parts of the week are when I get to play – whether it’s in youth orchestra or chamber, or just practicing on my own. Horn is constant and there’s always more to be done – always room to improve and to keep pushing myself. It’s always there for me. If I’m feeling frustrated, bored, sad, or anything in between I can just pick up my horn and play a little, work through an etude, and remind myself that I can persevere.

You just finished the horn intensive at Interlochen in Michigan. What was this experience like?
It was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. I learned so much from the teachers and the other horn players. I got new perspectives on warm-ups and different approaches to techniques that I had never considered. We also spent the week playing in a large horn choir, which might be my favorite type of group to play in. I was a soloist on one of the pieces and it was really fun to learn to blend with the other soloist and still project over the rest of the choir. We also got to perform standard solo repertoire and play in small chamber groups. I met 3 other really awesome horn players that I became friends with and we started a horn quartet outside of classes, and played in the final concert!! It was also amazing to meet people from all over the country who share the same love as me – all while being on such a beautiful campus. I learned so much in just one week and made so many fun memories.

How has your time at PCM prepared you for these experiences?
PCM has given me so much musical experience and set me up for success in everything from auditions to ensemble playing to solo performances. In particular, the countless performance opportunities at PCM gave me so much experience on stage. After 9 years of performing at recitals, I’ve gotten a chance to work on stage presence and try out different ways to center myself before performing. This makes things like live auditions so much easier because I’ve already spent so much time in a performance atmosphere where you only get one shot. Along with that, playing in front of my peers and hearing my peers play have given me different perspectives on certain pieces.

How have these experiences shaped your musicianship and what will you take with you as you continue your musical studies?
These experiences have taught me so much that I will always take with me. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that there is always room to grow and improve. It’s a good reminder when I see professional players, exchanging warm-ups and new rep to try playing. I often compare myself to the other players around me and get a little down about my abilities. Whenever that happens, I pull out a video of a performance from a few years ago and it’s amazing to see how much I’ve grown. So I just keep telling myself how far I’ve come, and that there is always time and room to keep learning.