Up-and-coming composer, Dianna Link, won FNMC’s Composition Competition in 2023 with her flute-piano piece, “Old As Time”. It’s a feminist reimagining of the tale of Beauty and the Beast, and she spoke with us about her interest in exploring themes of resilience and self-determination in her reworking of this classic fairy tale. She also discusses the existential crisis of having to fit neatly into one box in school, her inspiring time spent studying through OAcademy and Boulanger Initiative, her history of taking liberties with the score, and music-crushes on her main mentors, Annika Socolofsky and Alex Gardner. 

https://www.diannalink.com/

Boulanger Initiative: https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/

OAcademy: https://oacademy.live/

Tophouse, “The Mountain Song”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaDC_e4SjBQ

Twisted Pine, “Come Along Jody”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6-OLP2FTI8

How to Train Your Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQxr-HeSp68