Judy Falconer

Violin

One of my main goals in life was to play in a symphony orchestra. At the age of four, I started studying piano, added the clarinet in fifth grade, and the flute in high school along with saxophones and oboe. My musical claims to fame were making finalist as a youth soloist with the San Francisco Symphony in 1966, and winning a concerto competition with the University of Rhode Island symphony in 1991 (both on clarinet). But 16 years ago when we moved to Maine, I began the study of the violin, and was delighted to join Midcoast Symphony in 2010 as a second violinist. Playing with a quality ensemble, performing real music, is such a joy.

My working career of more than 24 years was as a manager in systems and programming for a Rhode Island bank. With the sale of the bank in 1994, we moved to Connecticut where I opened a music studio mostly for piano students, with some clarinet and flute students as well. I received my Masters in Music in 2000 from URI.

I am a quilter, love travelling, enjoy gardening and genealogy, and have hiked more mountains than I care to remember, except Mt. Whitney in California and Mt. Katahdin. I have sung with Tapestry Singers and St. Cecilia Chamber Choir, was the rehearsal accompanist for Tapestry Singers for three years, and am currently a mostly retired organist, thanks to COVID-19. I also play first violin with the Seacoast Avanzata Orchestra in Damariscotta (www.seacoastorchestra.org) and have played various woodwinds in pit bands for many musicals, including Big River, West Side Story, Man of La Mancha, Jekyll and Hyde, Aida (Webber), The Full Monty, and others. I also played clarinet in the orchestra for Elijah (Mendelssohn) and the Brahms Requiem, both with St. Cecilia Chamber Choir.

I’m married and have two wonderful grown daughters, both excellent singers, and two granddaughters.