Finding magic in the flute
“The flute can sometimes be overlooked...it is great that ANU has a flute-specific scholarship.”
Eliza Shephard may well have sibling rivalry to thank for her love of the flute. Eliza and her younger sister followed in the footsteps of their pianist father in taking up the piano at a young age.
But finding that her sister was the better pianist didn't sit well with the young, ambitious Eliza. So at age 10, Eliza decided to try her hand at the flute.
It was a serendipitous decision, with Eliza going on to excel in flute performance and head to ANU, where she enrolled in the Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance in 2012.
Winning the Leonard and Margaret Doman Undergraduate Scholarship for Flute in her first year of study was music to Eliza's ears.
"The scholarship has been incredibly helpful," Eliza said. "The stability of funds has been really beneficial, allowing me to invest in lessons and other professional development."
The Leonard and Margaret Doman Scholarship is offered by the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences. The scholarship was established in 2000 in honour of the parents-in-law of Professor Deane Terrell, who was ANU Vice-Chancellor from 1994 to 2000.
In 2015, Eliza will complete her Honours, for which she is majoring in extended techniques with the flute. While she is enjoying her studies and teaching flute, her goal is to pursue a career in solo flute performance.
"I have always wanted to tour as a solo flautist and just show the world what I have to offer as a musician," she said.
In 2015, Eliza will fly to New York to participate in a four-month intensive course with internationally-renowned flautist, Robert Dick. She is one of only eight flautists from around the world who will participate in this course.
Eliza is thankful that flute performance has been so well supported at ANU. "The flute can sometimes be overlooked," she said. "It is great that ANU has a flute-specific scholarship."
