Cali Student Spotlight

Highlighting the diverse journeys that lead students to Montclair, this potlight features Graduate Performance flutist Ashley Mendeke.

• Could you start by telling us a little about your background and what brought you to the Cali School of Music? I’m an Austin, TX native and earned my Bachelor’s in Music Performance and Education from the University of North Texas. In 2013, I joined the West Point Band as a piccolo player with the Hellcats. While I was finishing basic training, my husband drove a U-Haul from Dallas to West Point — it’s been an adventure ever since! Last fall, I told friends and colleagues I planned to return to school, and Keith Kile (Professor of Tuba) recommended the Cali School of Music. I added Montclair to my list of options and scheduled a lesson with Flute Professor Tanya Witek. I enjoyed working with her so much that I applied right away. Thanks to Montclair’s rolling admission, I was able to start in Spring 2025, and I’ve already gained so much from the experience, both as a musician and as a person.
• You’re also serving in the military while studying full time—can you share a bit about your service experience? I enlisted in the Army in 2013 and arrived at West Point in 2014 upon completion of Basic Combat Training. I have performed several concerts, military functions, and high-visibility ceremonies representing West Point as a musical ambassador. My primary mission includes playing fife music for the United States Corps of Cadets. The cadets really love the piccolo, and I am grateful I’ve been able to make a positive impact performing music that has been around for centuries.
• What has it been like balancing your military commitments with your coursework and performances at Montclair State? Balancing my military commitments with my studies has been a unique challenge, so I focus on putting forth my best effort. Balancing these two commitments wouldn’t be possible without support from my band’s leadership team, the Montclair faculty, and most importantly my family, including my two cats.
• Have the skills or discipline from your military service influenced your approach to music or academics? I’m sure my experience in the Army has influenced my approach to music and academics, although I’m not sure in which specific ways. My family tells me that I was always very disciplined growing up. In kindergarten, I would wake up and do Mickey Mouse Aerobics before school.
• Are there particular classes, professors, or ensembles that have had a strong impact on your development? I’ve grown as a flutist in my lessons with Professor Witek. I appreciate her feedback and ear. Also, preparing for weekly lessons for the first time since 2009 has been immensely helpful to my practice! I’m looking at you, long tones! I also appreciated my classes with Professor Susan Dadian and Dr. Marissa Silverman last semester. I’ve felt very inspired in my time at Montclair and the Cali School of Music!
• What advice would you give to new students entering the Cali School of Music, especially those balancing school with other major responsibilities? Be kind to yourself. The more we give ourselves the more we can ask of ourselves. I lived many years as a perfectionist, and it just doesn’t work. I believe that self-compassion is a more sustainable and joyful approach to living and it only adds to our music. It’s something I’m working on in my own life and something I hope to share with my future students.