Alyse Hokamp

Blog archives

  • [videos] Music and community

    Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how music creates a community. A music event gives people a reason to come together. Tastes for particular musical styles and artists create communities. Individual communities share specific music as part of their collective experience. The musicians themselves are a community, but I feel like they often limit Read more

  • Recital Diaries: Live album, videos, thoughts

    Robert and I have talked a lot about getting the most out of everything we do this year. This often means capturing or creating some form of media from each performance. Yes, it’s more work to set up the recording equipment, edit it, and share it. But if we don’t, it’s a lot of time Read more

  • Recital Diaries: Recital day

    This is my fourth consecutive year presenting a flute recital, and each year the scope of work expands. Although I create more work for myself each year, I also gain a lot from it personally and artistically. My recital is definitely the most challenging flute playing I do all year, which is why I love Read more

  • Recital Diaries: Theory homework (flute duet, chord chart)

    I think the focus of my performance preparation is a little different than most flutists. I like to learn the part, definitely. I even try to have it all or mostly memorized. Beyond that, I do some maintenance practice for flutey things like scales, vibrato, and attacks/note endings, but I don’t obsess over it. I Read more

  • Recital Diaries: Dialogues with Steven and Robert

    I set up a photo shoot with Steven and Robert for my upcoming recital. I wanted a photo of us having a conversation, to go along with the title of my program. Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 1PM in Denton, TX A: So… I don’t know how to naturally look like we’re having a conversation. Read more

  • [Pan-Tones] Dancing to classical music

    Recently, I don’t think there’s anything more satisfying than having my music inspire movement. What a joy to have friends that are such beautiful dancers! I love that dance night is an event for dancers, musicians, and creative people of all ages. After the first successful dance night, I had ideas for more open-ended, freeform Read more

  • Recital Diaries: Through the “funk”

    5/30/25 Moving from a creative idea, concept, or fantasy to reality invites an amount of disappointment. Inevitably, something is lost in that transition. I often go through a stage of mourning my initial inspiration- I feel incompetent, question the validity of my idea, and otherwise doubt myself. It’s usually after the first iteration of the Read more

  • 6 complaints about classical music

    I love classical music, but sometimes the culture surrounding it makes me cringe. 1. Stiff performance manner and conventions -We don’t have to be so black and fancy all the time.-We can interact with the audience before, during, and after the show.-We don’t have to play in a nice, quiet space.-We don’t have to use Read more

  • How to get better at performing

    We practice our instruments, a lot. We know we can play, but once we get on stage, something changes. It’s no longer practicing, it’s performing. Performing is a distinct skill. The goal is not to simply recreate what happened in the practice room (“I swear it was better when I was practicing!”). We should think Read more

  • In defense of taking a break

    I am always pooped after a gig. Like, I need to go home now and sleep. I know some people are hyped up and buzzing afterwards, but not me! I am physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I feel happy and creatively satisfied, but also exhausted. As an early bird, I’m up by 5AM every morning, Read more