YP Spotlight: Sophia Ahmad tunes in to musical calling
God didn't part the heavens and call Sophia Ahmad into a career in classical music. But the reality wasn't entirely removed.
As a young girl growing up in the Russian Orthodox church, Ahmad's ears found awe in sacred music. When the church's a cappella choir sang the liturgy during services, she noticed the bass lines. So prominent, so moving, always bouncing to and fro.
"I was five or six driving home from church and said, 'Mom, how do the voices sound like they have instruments playing with them?' " Ahmad recalled. "She explained to me four-part harmony and a cappella. I remember being mesmerized by that."
Ahmad today teaches, performs and promotes classical music in greater Des Moines.
As marketing director for the Des Moines Symphony, the 33-year-old oversees ticket sales and promotional efforts for the organization's massive Yankee Doodle Pops concert this Thursday.
As a pianist, Ahmad also performs regularly with musicians like Simon Estes and teaches the largest piano studio at the Des Moines Symphony Academy.
Ahmad, a former reporter for The Des Moines Register and Juice magazine, talked about how she fell back into her first calling in 2011 and what she thinks classical music means for the community.
Q. What's the biggest challenge in promoting classical music in a medium-sized, Midwestern city?
A: The difficult thing about marketing is executing it well, in any market. Des Moines is a beautiful arts community, but I still see opportunities where our marketing and public relations department can reach out and let them know this is something they could really enjoy. Most of our subscribers have been with us for more than 15 years.
Q. How do you make classical music appealing to people who were children 15 years ago? What's the secret to marketing old music to young people?
A: That's the million-dollar question. I've never taken a marketing class, but we're not selling bicycles to fish. We are looking at what (subscribers) habits were when they were 21 or 22. Did they study a musical instrument? We know they're looking for an enriching, educational experience, which is a little different than entertainment.
Classical music takes a little bit of time to get to know. We don't expect a 21-year-old to immediately appreciate a fine wine.
Q. How did you find an interest in classical music at a young age?
A: Growing up, my mother had always wanted to take piano and music lessons but her parents could never afford them. She had at my grandparents' home a toy piano. She played and loved that. She took me and my sister to classical performances — "The Nutcracker," the Philadelphia Orchestra. Then my mom signed my sister and myself up for piano lessons.
Q. You've taught piano in Des Moines since 2008 and watched some of your students grow up at the keys. What does it take to instill a love for piano performance that you had from a young age?
A: Starting on piano is pretty easy, but once you get into advanced literature it gets very advanced very quickly. That's where most kids drop off. I don't think it's a secret that I'm pretty strict. I'm a big believer in the more you practice the more fun it gets.
Q. What do you hope your students say about you?
A: I hope they would say that their lessons are challenging and inspiring, and that I guide and equip them to achieve their musical goals.
Q. You began rebranding the symphony as soon as you got there in 2011. How did you want its musicians to be perceived in the community?
A: Something I feel strongly about is to have our orchestra musicians and academy faculty as ambassadors for our organization. We try to put them out there as much as we can. We put an ad at the airport and skywalk. I want people to know excellent classical musicians are real people, like you and me. But if people come out of our concerts not thinking about marketing, then I think we've done our job.
Q. The symphony's most visible event is Thursday in Yankee Doodle Pops. What's your role in making that event happen?
A: It gets bigger and bigger every year. There's coordinating public relations, marketing and the plain old logistics of putting on a concert outdoors. We erect a stage. There's production and sound and just the logistics of having that many people on the Capitol grounds. And making sure there's good weather.
Meet Sophia Ahmad
AGE: 33
HOMETOWN: Yardley, Pa.
HIGH SCHOOL: Plumstead Christian School (Plumsteadville, Pa.)
COLLEGE: Gordon College, bachelor's degree in music (2004). Eastman School of Music, master's degree in music (2007).
FYI: Ahmad loves classical music, but still keeps up with modern stuff when she can. As a graduate student in New York, Ahmad submitted a project on the musical similarities between Beethoven and U2.
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Josh Hafner covers young professionals in central Iowa. Have a story idea? Contact Josh at 515-284-8412, jhafner@dmreg.com or on Twitter @JoshHafner.