I'm not sure if I posted about this or not, but last month one of my classmates died. I'd had classes with her for the last two years. While we weren't exactly great friends I did enjoy talking with her before and after classes. I rarely saw her outside the music building because she was such a hard worker and rarely ever left. She was only 20 years old and had a bright future ahead of her. Today I saw this article in the paper about her. She was such a bright and happy person. Reading this article reminded me to look at the things that make me happy.
Kristen
Smiles came easily for Kristen Hooker
Family photos
Shortly before she was killed in a motorcycle accident, Kristen Hooker visited San Francisco with friends. The talented bassoonist was planning to study music therapy at Arizona State.
Music, family, red among her favorites
Juliette Wallack
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 3, 2004 12:00 AM
Kristen Hooker smiled a lot.
Red made her smile, whether a red shirt or her trademark red lipstick, as did Harry Potter and Lois Lowry's The Giver, friends from church and school, and music from Kelly Clarkson to Vivaldi. Pasta was a favorite, and "Atkins" was a dirty word.
So much made Kristen smile that she kept a "happy book," jotting down everything that made her grin. Whether or not it had been a good day, the Gilbert Highland High School grad made an entry.
When Kristen died in a motorcycle accident July 10, just eight days after her 20th birthday, her parents opened her happy book to find it full of things that delighted her. They shared Kristen's delights with the more than 800 people at her July 15 funeral.
One thing made Kristen the happiest: playing the bassoon.
A talented bassoonist, she loved music and escaped into it. She played flute until eighth grade, when she switched because the bassoon was unique. Four years later, she passed up offers from prestigious conservatories and opted to study bassoon performance on a full scholarship at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She wanted to stay close to her family in Gilbert.
Kristen knew she was a perfectionist, and so did others. As early as sixth grade, Kristen wrote, "I will be remembered as a perfectionist, a good speller and a good friend." "She just wanted to give everything she had to everything she did," her mother, Ramona, said.
"She never came for a lesson that was not beautifully prepared," recalled Bonnie Wolfgang, Kristen's bassoon teacher throughout high school. "She was serious about it, and yet joyful and happy about it."
Kristen was a mature musician who was able to sense the emotion in written music. Music was more than just notes. She had passion. Her sweet tone was impressive, too, said William Dietz, Kristen's bassoon teacher at UA.
During her two years at UA, Kristen dragged her bassoon everywhere. She joined the opera company's orchestra and spent hours practicing for private lessons and performances. When she came home, she played at Gilbert schools to encourage younger children to take up an instrument.
During her sophomore year, Kristen decided to transfer to Arizona State University, where this fall she planned to study music therapy. She knew that bassoon performance is a competitive field, Dietz said, and she was being practical.
She saw a future that included working with autistic children and performing.
No matter what career she pursued, she wanted to "be the best person she could," Ramona said.
She was excited to move home and go to college just a few miles from where she grew up. "She cherished her family," her mother said.
She remained close to her three siblings, coming home many weekends from UA to spend time with her sister, Shelbey. She would even drive home in the middle of the night if Shelbey needed her, and Shelbey often traveled to Tucson to visit Kristen.
"Nothing would stop us from helping each other," Shelbey, 18, said. "We were like two peas in a pod."
But more than anything else, Kristen was happy. As proof, her father points to her cellphone. When it's turned on, a greeting message pops up on the screen: "Smile! Life is good!"
Kristen's parents created a fund in her memory benefiting the Phoenix Symphony Guild. Donations may be sent to: Gayle Eagleburger, Phoenix Symphony Guild, 10637 N. 22nd Place, Phoenix, AZ 85028.
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RIP Kristen.
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