by Deborah Johns Moir
What were you doing in your early twenties? Roanoke native Ariel Somoan Austin is a conductor with the Radford University Symphonic Band. A chance viewing of a video of Austin conducting a piece written by Adoniram J. Gordon (1836-1895) and arranged by Fred J. Allen, shows her handling her business with grace, poise and confidence, and a big smile at the conclusion. The work is entitled “They Led My Lord Away.”
She is currently in the instrumental conducting class at Radford University. “When you’re in that class,” she says, “you audition to conduct the student conductor concert.” She was one of the seven undergrads chosen, along with three graduate students.
Austin credits her brother playing drums and her sister playing clarinet in the school marching band for her musical trajectory. Her band director, Cathy Moon, who also taught her siblings at Breckenridge Jr. High, was the main reason Austin chose the flute. “I’ve only had one female band director since being in school,” Austin says. “And that was in sixth grade.”
After starting her musical life at Breckenridge, she continued by playing in the marching band and the concert band before graduating from William Fleming H.S.
“I was at a football game in the stands, playing my flute during the game with the band – and just listening to them. I was thinking that I was really gonna miss band, the pride and exuberance regarding the entire experience related to the medium…and decided (that) if I was to teach band, I would always be able to be in that atmosphere that I love so much.”
Austin says one thing she’s learned: “Hard work and practice really pays off. When I auditioned to be in the music program at Radford, my audition didn’t go really well…. I’ve had great teachers here, but I wasn’t where I needed to be musically to be in a college program. I didn’t know all of the things I should have known on the flute to be in the program. But my instructor, Peter Shanahan took a chance on me. He said he saw potential in me and basically decided to let me in the program. And frequently, he always brings up where I started and where I am now! He shares how much progress I’ve made on my primary instrument (the flute).”
Austin received the Marion S. Gray Scholarship this year. Dr. George Gray established the scholarship in honor of his late wife, to assist Radford’s music department students. She’s scheduled to graduate in the Spring of 2020, and then go for her Master’s, possibly in conducting she explains.
Austin says she chose Radford U because of her love of family. “I didn’t want to be far away from home. I like to be around family a lot.” Her family attends Pilgrim Baptist Church, pastored by Rev. Dwight O. Steele.
Ariel at 21, is the youngest of five children born to Joseph “Joe” and Dorothy “Dot” Austin. She has two sisters in North Carolina and a sister and brother in Roanoke.
With her hopes set high, Ariel, between school and working, plans on earning a doctorate. “My end-goal is to be a college band director,” Austin said.
