CCM alumna achieves historic first in renowned military band

“Something I have always loved about music is how it affords the opportunity for us musicians to connect with people in so many ways," Doctor says. "For me, the most meaningful way that I can connect to people through music is when I perform Taps for military funerals in Arlington National Cemetery. The buglers of ‘Pershing’s Own’ may sound taps thousands of times each year, but each individual performance is the one time that family will hear taps for their loved one, making each time profoundly significant. The family listens quietly and reaches for each other, grieving together, and comforting the person next to them. Music connects people and speaks directly to the soul. It speaks when words fail.”

Doctor cites her time at CCM as helping push her into her successful career, mentioning the incredibly high caliber of the ensembles. She also shares details of the trying personal experiences she was faced with while a graduate student. “My master’s degree was incredibly challenging for me to finish because I spent my first year caring for my mom who was back home in Pittsburgh with cancer, and my second year handling her estate after she passed. I was even granted an emergency leave of absence at one point when she was very sick. She passed away between my first and second years as a master’s student, so the fact that I was able to make it through the degree was no small feat.”

“My professors were unbelievably accommodating and compassionate. They encouraged me to finish my degree, and there’s no way I would be able to have succeeded in music without their support during that trying time. It is not lost on me how lucky I was to be at CCM when I was going through all that.”

Doctor recalls an especially profound Philharmonia concert in which she served as principal trumpet on Mahler’s Third Symphony, having dedicated her performance to her mother. “I learned that life is all about people and relationships. It’s not about what you do, but how you make people feel.”

“If you have a dream, don’t stop until you make it happen,” Doctor advises current students. “Hard work will always pay off,” she says, encouraging dedicated and consistent practice time, and supportive collaboration with peers. “It is not about the product, but the process.”