We recently had the chance to connect with Alexandra Torres Reyes and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alexandra, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are my opportunity to get myself up and set my stage for the day. The first item (the first 5 minutes) is hopping out of bed as soon as my alarm goes off and making my bed. That way, I am up immediately, and I have already completed one small task. If I don’t spring out of bed, I will fall back asleep and delay my productivity. The second item (the next 30 minutes) is doing some exercise to get my body and heart going. It is typically going on a walk, doing some core and strength training exercises, and ending it with yoga. It has helped me increase my breathing for performing on the flute, and I feel better afterward. The third item (the next 25 minutes) is getting ready for the day. I take a shower, style my hair, put on my makeup, and get dressed to help me feel fresh and ready to take on my day. The fourth item (the next 15 minutes) is my Bible Devotional time. As a Christian, I need to be in touch with the Lord as I go into my day. I find myself more relaxed and focused when I spend time with Christ compared to days when I forget, and then I feel anxious. I read my Bible and my Devotional, followed by time in prayer asking for the Lord’s guidance and peace as I go through my day. The final item (the last 15 minutes) is a short flute warm-up. I will do some long tones, singing and playing to release tension in my throat, center my tone, and build my breathing. I will also play scales and finger exercises to warm my hands up for playing. This 90-minute morning routine is my tool to help set my stage as a flutist for the day, whether it be busy or relaxed.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Alexandra Torres Reyes, and I’m a professional flutist based in Fort Worth, Texas. I’ve been playing the flute for 18 years. On top of the flute, I am an auxiliary flutist, meaning I’m also a professional piccolo player and alto flute player. I hold a Master’s Degree in Flute Performance, Class of 2023, and an Artist Diploma in Flute Performance, Class of 2025, from Texas Christian University. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Flute Performance from the University of North Texas, Class of 2020. I teach private lessons to beginner, intermediate, and advanced flute students to help them grow in their musicianship. I perform in many ensembles across the DFW Metroplex. I was the Gold Prize Winner in the 2022 San Diego Flute Guild Piccolo Specialty Competition. I performed as a flutist and piccolist in the TCU Symphony Orchestra from 2022 to 2025. From July 2020 to March 2023, I was a residential flutist and piccolist for the international Virtual Concert Band, having been selected as a soloist multiple times. I participated as a member of the TCU Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band from 2021 to 2024, including the creation of the TCU 150th Anniversary Recording Project. In addition, I performed many chamber concerts in woodwind trios and flute quintets. I performed as part of the TCU Flute Choir at TMEA 2022 and NFA 2024 in San Antonio, TX. From 2021 to 2025, I performed as the Principal Flute/Piccolo musician in the Travis Avenue Baptist Church Orchestra. I’ve performed in theater productions as an auxiliary flutist for Nelson University’s production of “The Little Mermaid”. I will return to their theater company’s production of “My Fair Lady” this April. Today, I play as principal flutist for the Stonebriar Community Church Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Flute Choir, as well as the principal flutist for First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth. She has also branched out to several churches in the DFW Metroplex to share her love for Christ as she performs with her Godly gift, such as Eagle Mountain International Church and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dallas. I participate as a flutist for The Conducting Institute’s Seasonal Lab Orchestra. I run my own YouTube Channel, Instagram, and TikTok, where I perform classical flute repertoire and write my own flute arrangements for soundtracks, musicals, rock songs, and worship covers. It’s my opportunity to show the flute’s versatility of tone colors, extended technique, and voicing through different genres. My ability to engage my emotions during any performance allows the audience to connect with my heart as a performer. My mission is to tell personal stories to my audience through my music and inspire others to do the same.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The earliest meaningful relationship that shaped me is my relationship with my mom and dad. They saw that I was an artistic child who loved music and drawing. I was an introverted person who lived in my own world and didn’t reach out to other people. I was a perfectionist who held myself to high standards, which led to my having excellent grades and a strong work ethic growing up. I was also a young person who wanted to please people at the expense of my own joy. My parents encouraged me to pursue what fulfilled my heart in life. For me, that was music. While we knew it wasn’t always stable, they still pushed me to go for it without fear. While I am a perfectionist, my parents remind me that I am human and I must give myself grace as I am making progress in my flute-playing daily. They remind me to speak my mind if I’m struggling because I’m not walking through life alone. They show every day how supportive they are of me and how they have my back. They also help me remember the reason why I perform the flute is to honor the Lord, as he gave me this musical gift.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
The time I nearly gave up on my dreams of being a flutist was when I was in my Bachelor’s Degree final semester of Music School, and COVID hit in March 2020. I was already severely burnt out from performing. I felt so lost and alone after several emotional personal experiences. By the time COVID hit, I had to move home for health-safety matters. I lost my graduation, and I lost my original Senior Recital plan. The future for Classical music looked so uncertain. At that point, playing the flute brought me more pain and heartache rather than joy. While this was during my Gap Year, I decided to take a full-time receptionist job for a local insurance agency in my hometown, and I took a break from playing flute. I made a secure income, which felt good, but the job did not fulfill my heart at all. I spent those several months drowning in my own depression. It wasn’t until I had a conversation with my Mom that she explained to me that life is too short to be unfulfilled. I prayed about what I was feeling to the Lord, and I asked him to help me. The following morning, I decided to start looking for good Master’s in Music Programs. That was the first step that led me to fall in love with music again and led me to where I am today.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you were to meet my closest friends, they would say my faith in God and the way I treat people matter the most to me. Without my faith in God, I wouldn’t stand here today. God is my foundation of life, who guides me in my music and my decisions to honor him every day. He redirects me to the path of peace when anxiety tries to take hold of me. I also treat people with kindness and care. They would all say I greet everyone with a hug as a way to show that I care about them. While I may not be the most social person in the world, I use my actions to treat others with respect.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I describe it more as I am doing what God had planned for me to do in my life, which is performing the flute and making music. I had always loved music and the arts. It is something that brings joy to my heart and allows me to be creative with my flute skills. If I were doing what I was told to do, I would’ve minored in music and majored in a stable career, such as accounting or administration. While I would’ve done well in that path, I wouldn’t have been fulfilled compared to when I perform flute, teach flute, or arrange for the flute. Therefore, I say I am doing what I am meant to do for my life, and I’m proud to say so.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexandralangleyflutist.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alangleyflute/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alangleyflute123/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexandraLangleyflute
