Meet Tori Yaussy | Flutist, Teacher, Podcaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tori Yaussy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tori, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
When people ask me what I do, I usually respond with, “I’m a professional classical musician. My instrument is the flute. I do a lot of teaching in the Houston area, both flute classes and private lessons. I also perform and gig around when I can.” Most of the time, that is met with the response, “Whoa! Do you play in the symphony???” That is probably the single most common misconception about classical music– that the only career path is to win a big orchestra job. There was a time when that was my number one goal for my career as well, however, the chances of that actually happening are minuscule compared to the number of professional flutists out there. Houston is a big city and big cities attract a lot of excellent musicians. There are so many professional classical musicians in this town, but if you are not a regular concertgoer, or don’t have children involved in music at school, you would never know it. For every high school that has a band or orchestra program, they generally have at least one private lesson instructor per instrument. Multiply that by however many high schools there are in the Houston area and you quickly see what I’m talking about! Each of those private lesson instructors also gig around and perform in small chamber music groups as well. The symphony is not the end-all-be-all, nor is it the only way to sustain a successful career in the classical music industry. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When people think “classical music,” they immediately think buttoned-up, stuffy, old white people, etc. Sure, there are some classical musicians who are like that– I’m sure there are people like that in every field you can think of! I have always really tried to make sure my own personality never got lost or pushed to the side in order to have a successful career in music. I like to think that I am a friendly and approachable person, and I want everyone who attends a concert, a flute lesson or a class, to feel that the flute and classical music is approachable. Not stuffy. I always cater my flute lessons and masterclasses to the students. I make sure that my material is current and on their level so they are having fun, and also engaged and learning. On the flip side, I have a very organized approach to studio teaching, which both kids and their parents appreciate. Like everything in life, it’s all about balance!

I am very proud of my new website toriyaussy.com ! I think it is a wonderful representation of my personality and offerings. It was a lot of work to get it together, but worth it! Thank you to the ladies at NR Media for their help with that project!

Getting to this point today where I can say that I am a full-time professional flutist was absolutely not easy. Any classical musician will tell you that this industry is TOUGH. Just getting through conservatory-style training with your personality, mental health, and enthusiasm for music still intact is a huge accomplishment. Many musicians struggle with perfectionism and imposter syndrome because the level of competition is so fierce. I personally had a hard time with both, and also developed TMJ in college due to stress and anxiety (this is bad news for a flutist). I have experienced extreme burnout due to unrealistic expectations from professors, and also from just trying to make ends meet as a “starving artist.” In a weird and twisted way, I am actually very grateful for the pandemic because it allowed me time away from the grind to really reflect on my career and what I wanted to achieve in the future. With the help of Heidi Kay Begay of the Flute360 podcast, I started my own podcast titled The Unclassical Musician. It was my pandemic project. I started the podcast because I felt that the “young professional” demographic of the classical music world was extremely underserved. We all needed some therapy, support, and community! I wasn’t expecting to unpack over a decade’s worth of trauma and problems in the industry through the podcast, but it really resonated with my audience and brought healing to many musicians in my age group. The Unclassical Musician has been on pause since life went “back to normal,” but I do intend to bring it back someday!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
It is so hard to narrow it down in a city like Houston, but here are a few of my favorite things that I think my best friends from out of town would also enjoy! Concert at Miller Outdoor Theater– I LOVE me an outdoor concert on a summer evening.
Late night comedy and Detroit style pizza at Rudyard’s– seriously, this Chicagoan has fallen for the pizza at Rud’s.
Beer and art cars at St. Arnold’s–Great skyline views, cool cars, and I’d bring my Bernedoodle Arnie because we named him after St. Arnold!
Rothko Chapel– easily one of the most spiritual art experiences I have ever had. A must-see for any Rothko fan!
Shopping on 19th Street in the Heights and coffee at Boomtown.
Memorial Park Conservancy and Land Bridge– still can’t believe this exists in this huge city.
Coffee and pastry at Common Bond, gotta be the Montrose location.
Graffiti park in EaDo– I had my latest headshots taken there. So colorful and unique!
Astro’s game at Minute Maid– go for the food, stay for the ball game and fireworks!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a big shoutout to my parents, who never once tried to convince me out of pursuing music as a full-time career. They have always been very supportive of my music. When I was a kid, that looked like buying me my first keyboard and driving me to every single piano, voice, and flute lesson. Later, it looked like buying me professional instruments and helping me move across the country for better work opportunities. My dad is a retired airline pilot. He knew from a young age that he loved flying and he wanted to do it for the rest of his life. I think he saw that same dedication in me with my music and wanted to provide me the kind of support he wish he had as a kid. Now that I am older and work with really talented young kids, I see all the effort their parents put into supporting their child’s interests, and I respect my parents even more for doing the most when I was the same age as my students. Classical music is still a highly privileged field, and I wouldn’t be a full-time professional flutist today if it weren’t for my folks.

Website: https://www.toriyaussy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toriyaussyflutist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toriyaussyflutist

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7MHQ8uzM69PVYkzfh7PTOw

Other: Listen to The Unclassical Musician on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/07OyFVOKgI3oKf77iRgd5m?si=f8c90c06207c4bbb