We were lucky to catch up with Malinda Lisette recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Malinda, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have known I was meant to play flute from the moment I chose it in band class, but really, when I would hear it in the music my mom would listen to like salsa, RnB, Bachata, and more. I was fascinated with how small and cute it was, and I thought because I was able to make a sound on it, that it was meant for me to play. As I invested more into the idea of being a professional musician, the cost of lessons, instruments, and summer festivals felt like a bill I couldn’t continue to ask my parents to pay. I was recommended to audition for the Primavera Fund, which completely funded my music education for the rest of High School. Without the friendships, mentorships, & access to the music world that my mentors and sponsors gave me, I would’ve struggled so much more to feel apart of the community. I am grateful to have a community that believes in me and I want a lot of my career to be shaped around making live music and high level music education available for my community.

Malinda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a freelance Flautist & Flute Teacher, but also recently became the Music & Arts Coordinator for the Philadelphia Kroc Center. I have an amazing network of musicians who work in many capacities and I feel blessed to now have the opportunity to do what I love to do for work. I curate events, run an afterschool music program, teach, and perform. I believe that having a deep passion for any work you do can make the process more enjoyable.
I just care about purpose and intention. Its hard nowadays to feel connected to yourself and others because of the age of technology, and music is my favorite way to contribute to that authentic, human connection that we are all seeking.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect as a creative is that hard work and passion will always shine through whatever you believe is clouding you. No one will ever be able to take away the work you put into your instrument, how you’ve healed yourself through your instrument, the music you play during hard times, who you have played some pieces with. Music has been a source of comfort and free expression where I can give a performance that finds people who needs to hear what I am expressing and I need someone to listen. This exchange is beautiful and is the reason I am in love with all parts of the process. Sharing that with our next generation of musicians and hearing their progression always revitalizes my belief in the music-making process, and teaches me more about it everyday.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

There is no singular goal driving my creative journey, more so a craving for authenticity. We all want to be able to show up as our full self when we walk into rooms, and practice is my way of bettering myself, musically, to walk into those rooms. It’s like exercising & eating your veggies, expression of one’s self is is something we should practice and music is one of the ways I do that. One of my favorite artists said once “LOVE is Living On Valued Energy,” and I really took that to heart. How am I valued, what do I value, how do I add value? There is so much for me to learn, but if I’m authentic, and living on valued energy, I feel closer to my purpose.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @musicamalinda
• Facebook: Malinda Lisette
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@malindalisette9167?app=desktop
• Other: Contact for gigs: [email protected]

Image Credits

Headshot by Akili Farrow
Conducting photo by Gregory Wright
Flute & Piano photo by Calvin Seng
Flute & Clarinet Duo Featuring Marquise Lindsey-Bradley
My Flute Student, Erin Ballard, and I at her first solo performance