Anne Martin continued
Music also took Martin to San Juan where she landed her first job with the Puerto Rico Symphony after graduating with her master’s in music from Yale. “They invited me to a live audition and offered to pay the plane fare. Who was I to say no to a free trip to the tropics in the middle of an East coast winter? It was so luxurious!” Following her Puerto Rican adventure Martin was hired for her first college teaching job in Powell, Wyoming, where musicians would drive two hours from their ranches for the opportunity to play. “It was a great learning experience for me both musically and environmentally. I now know what thirty degrees below zero feels like.” From Wyoming Martin moved with her family to New Mexico where her daughter, Jessica, was born. She played with the Santa Fe Symphony, a cooperative
orchestra where the musicians played an active part in the organization.
After all this traveling, one might wonder how Martin ended up in Modesto, California. “My goal has always been to teach music full time at a community college and I was offered a job at Modesto Junior College in 2001.” Fourteen years later she continues to conduct the MJC Community Orchestra and is the director of orchestra and strings. She really enjoys working with her students and is pleased with their talent and motivation.
Martin believes Modesto’s musical community has provided many opportunities for her and her family. “Modesto was a great place to raise a musical daughter.” Jessica Jones, (Above) Martin’s daughter plays the upright bass and currently teaches
music in Los Angeles. Martin says her experience in Modesto helped Jessica achieve her own musical journey. She played in Ernie Bucio’s Little Big Band which exposed her to jazz. According to Martin, Bucio gave her daughter all kinds opportunities to perform and develop her musicianship.
Martin has also enjoyed numerous opportunities to play music in Modesto. “I’ve had the opportunity to play with the Con Brio String Quartet with Liz Kidwell, Donna Harrison, and Ira Lehn, which has been an enriching experience.” Martin also plays with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and likes to rip through solos at David Dow’s Jam Sessions at the Barking Dog on Thursday Nights.