Our first solo spot comes from Haddasha, a 14-year-old flutist from Newport, Kentucky; the family often fosters dogs for the local animal shelter, so Haddasha always has an appreciative audience. Here’s what she had to say:

“Playing for dogs makes me calm and happy because everybody should get to listen to music. It feels weird in a good way to play flute as a Black person because I’m the only Black player at my school, but I like all my band friends… We just started learning last quarter, but I like ‘Hot Cross Buns,’ ‘Rain Rain Go Away,’ and especially ‘Donkeying Around,’ because you get to make donkey noises. It was nice to play for the dogs because they were excited, like saying ‘YAY, HADDASHA!’ ”

Thanks, Haddasha, and keep practicing—we’re cheering for you, too!