#8 Marcia Gates: Inspiring others

Welcome to blog post #8 of The Insightful Creative.

In her book, Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert describes creativity as “the relationship between a person and the mysteries of inspiration.”

This resonates deeply with me, particularly in reflecting on my relationship with my high school flute teacher, Marcia Gates.

I began studying with Marcia around the age of 15 or 16 (photo, around that time), and I still remember the scenic 45-minute drive to her studio. Her detailed notes in my music—reminders not to tilt my head or bracketing specific sections of Griffes’ Poem—guided me toward technical refinement. Yet, what left the deepest impression on me was her sound. Marcia’s tone - full, warm, and lush - embodied what Gilbert describes as the essence of inspiration. I was captivated by her sound and wanted to emulate it.

After nearly 40 years, Marcia and I reconnected recently. Her love for music is not only evident in her playing but also in her admiration for other artists including her flute teacher John Thomas, flutists such as Joseph Mariano, Julius Baker, and Robert Langevin, and her colleagues in the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra where she is principal flutist. Marcia shared stories of her pianist mother, who was her “number one fan and coach,” and her excitement about hearing Renée Fleming perform recently. Her enthusiasm was contagious, a beautiful reminder how boundless the love for music can be.

Marcia then brings me back to Gilbert’s idea: “When you listen to people play,” she says, “you get an idea of how you want to sound, and you get inspired.”

I smiled, remembering how listening to Marcia had shaped my own musical path. She had given me a concept of a full, rich flute sound that I still hear in my mind and carry with me.

Reflecting on Gilbert’s ideas about the mysteries of inspiration,Marcia really embodied this for me, offering the kind of inspiration that truly set me on my way.

Thank you, Marcia, for inspiring me!

Photo: Marcia & Laura, 40 years later, in Rochester, NY

Who has inspired you?