Check Out Amy Gabbitas’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Gabbitas.

Hi Amy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Aspen Winds began in 2011 when an oboist (Stephanie Simper) and I decided that we wanted to perform. Both of us had taken a break from serious performing to raise our children but felt like it was time to start playing again. Our first recital was an oboe, clarinet, and piano trio at the Springville Art Museum.

We then recruited other musicians to field a woodwind quintet – flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn. Our early goals included educational outreach and working with living composers. Personnel has changed many times over the years. Our current roster is Sally Humphreys – flute, Luca de la Florin – oboe, Amy Gabbitas – clarinet, Robert Bedont – bassoon, and Anita Miller – horn. These musicians freelance, teach at several universities and teach private studios. Pre-COVID, we presented at dozens of elementary schools each year.

Thankfully, those school shows are starting up again. We love hosting family concerts where we combine story-telling and costumes while playing quintet standards. We also enjoy working with living composers. Recently we were able to work with Amanda Harberg and Utah composer Marden Pond. We performed Amanda’s “Suite for Wind Quintet” at the International Clarinetfest and the International Horn Society Symposium in 2021.

Aspen Winds has toured throughout the state of Utah, most recently in Nephi and Ephraim.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I am the only founding member still part of Aspen Winds. It takes a while to find a mixture of musicians who really work well together.

At first, we rotated members quite frequently while trying to find the right combination of personalities and skills. Our musicians need to play at an extremely high level and also have other skills such as writing, video and audio editing, networking, and organization. We write our own grants, use connections to set up performing opportunities and keep track of finances and schedules.

Networking is our biggest asset. When you have five freelance musicians you have access to many people and opportunities. Our entire 2021-22 season performances developed because of connection.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the clarinetist and director for Aspen Winds. My professional life and career differ from most people’s. I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degree in clarinet performance when I was just 23.

I then moved all over the country while my husband served in the Navy. We have five children, which kept me very busy. I taught private students everywhere we live, but rarely performed. Once we settled in Utah, I felt that it was time to start playing.

That’s when Aspen Winds began. I also started working at Brigham Young University in the School of Music. Then I had a wild idea to get my DMA at the University of Utah.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
In general, our success comes from our willingness to learn and try new things.

We all have learned new skills out of necessity – website design, photography, grant writing, video and audio editing, payroll, and arranging.

We have planning meetings where we get to dream about future projects and then we divide the tasks based on each member’s abilities and interests.

Contact Info:

• Email: amygabbitas@gmail.com
• Website: www.aspenwinds.org
• Instagram: @aspenwindsquintet
• Facebook: Aspen Winds
• Youtube: TheAspenWinds

Image Credits:
Jennifer Flake from the Discovery Gateway Museum. (jflake@discoverygateway.org), Alina Osika, and Anita Miller