I’m Katie Penna, a current student at the State University of New York at Geneseo. I study Flute Performance and English Literature with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. I’m from Rochester, NY, where I grew up and have an incredible, loving family.
In high school, I was always very passionate about music, but it was also very difficult for me to admit to myself that this would clearly be my chosen discipline. I have always held a diverse array of interests (hence, my choice to embark upon a double major as well as a minor) as well as a strong sense of motivation to learn, not for any particular reason other than curiosity. As someone who excelled in all her coursework in high school, part of me felt badly that I had chosen to pursue the liberal arts rather than a degree in STEM; I scored a 5 in both AP Music Theory and AP Chemistry, yet I could not persuade myself to explore the latter discipline no matter how much more “useful” it seemed. I had already chosen music, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it. That was part of the reason why I chose Geneseo rather than a highly ranked music school–I simultaneously wanted to see if I could battle the music bug as well as see what I could do with it.
I do not regret choosing Geneseo. I do wish I could tell my younger self that she could be successful in music, that she should try for auditions rather than worrying about taking away time from her other academic pursuits. After all, I’ve found that music actually complements other areas of academia very well. Additionally, though, I truly have fallen in love with the performing arts at Geneseo, as well as the broader community itself, and I like to think that I still would have chosen this school even if I had had other music schools on my list. I’ve had fantastic undergraduate opportunities, everything from programming my own recitals to taking on projects as massive as The Yellow Wallpaper, and I have met the most wonderful, supportive people through it all. I’ve also appreciated the opportunities I’ve had to explore beyond the flute in music. I never pictured myself as a musicologist, composer, or conductor, but these have become some of my favorite parts about music.
I am so grateful for all the learning and leadership opportunities I have had throughout my music journey so far, and I hope I get to continue in my growth. I’ve learned to embrace my love for music and how it is part of me, part of this entire world that vibrates with sounds we’ve only just begun to explore. It’s an exciting path that I’ve discovered, and I am glad for it everyday!