Always a Flutist

Always a Flutist: Threads of Silver, Ties of Gold

In 2017, I created the Once a Flutist, Always a Flutist Festival—

a three-day gathering that brought together Sir James and Lady

Galway, CU Boulder students and alumni, the Colorado Flute

Association, astronaut and flutist Cady Coleman, and a group of

young flutists affectionately called The Little Galways. The heart

of that festival was inclusivity: celebrating our shared love for

the flute, our community and the lasting friendships that music

nurtures. Tonight’s concert, Threads of Silver, Ties of Gold,

carries those same themes forward as we reunite many Fludio

alumni to mark my twentieth year of teaching at CU Boulder.

With 75 of us on stage, I am deeply grateful to my colleagues,

collaborators, alumni and students for inspiring the beauty,

community, and meaning we share in music. My heartfelt thanks

go to CU Presents and the Operations teams, to Shih-Han Chiu

for alumni support, and to my flute “fairy godmother” Laurie

Hathorn, whose generosity includes hosting a special dinner for

alumni who traveled to Boulder. I am also indebted to many Fludio

members including Rachelle Crowell, Katy Wherry, Mallory Wood

and Paige Michaud.

—Christina Jennings, September 2025