At the highest level of orchestral music, perfection is not the goal. Connection is.
That’s what Aaron Goldman, principal flute of the National Symphony Orchestra, has learned in his career as a professional flutist. Now playing alongside some of the most accomplished musicians in the country, he considers his position a dream job.
And yet, when he first began in that role, he was so focused on technical perfection and performing that he quickly began to feel a bit like a circus monkey.
“It took me a while to get out of the idea that I was a circus monkey who couldn’t ‘drop the plate,’” said Goldman. “Getting the high notes or playing perfectly in tune—that’s all important, and we need to do that, but that’s not why I was there. I was there because I had something to say that was worthwhile for people to hear. It’s something that I could give to people that’s separate from ‘spinning the plate.’”
Now with every piece he plays, he focuses not only on playing the music perfectly, but also on creating an expression for the audience and being open to their energy and the experience.
And what a powerful experience it is to hear 100 of the finest musicians in the country making beautiful music together, whether they are playing a Beethoven symphony or a violin concerto by Mozart. It is an experience that evokes emotion, tells a story, and taps into something that, according to Goldman, is higher than empathy. It is connection and community.
In fact, when played beautifully, orchestral music can take us to another plane of existence, connect us to the transcendent, and help us to be more fully human. “That’s the most important thing there is,” said Goldman.
In an age where social media and short-form content dominate much of the cultural conversation, orchestral music can bring us back to something that we long for—something timeless, something that builds community and nourishes the soul.
“Music lives in the community between people,” Goldman said.
DC Flutes
This need for community is something that Goldman noticed and decided to do something about beyond the concert hall. In 2010, he formed DC Flutes, a local choir of 35 professional and skilled amateur flutists who find joy in making great music together.
They have performed concerts in New York, Chicago, Richmond, and at the National Flute Association Convention. They also play three concerts locally every year and perform at the DC Cherry Blossom Festival.
Goldman has seen the contrast between perfection and expression show up in DC Flutes as well. “If people are focused on getting it right, it can lead to tension. If we’re all working together to express great music, then that’s what creates a shared experience that brings us closer and builds community,” he said.
“What I enjoy about DC Flutes so much is hearing what kinds of music people of all skill levels are able to make. It is very fulfilling.”
DC Flutes holds auditions annually and is open to welcoming flute enthusiasts at all levels.
When Expression Replaces Performance
In addition to serving as principal flutist with the National Symphony Orchestra and conducting DC Flutes, Goldman also teaches flute privately and at DePaul University, the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins, and at The Catholic University of America. But his road to success wasn’t always clear. When he was a senior in high school,
Goldman auditioned for a major conservatory and was told that he would never be able to have a career in music. His own parents also cautioned him about the practicality of studying music and being able to find a job.
His love of music and persistent mindset carried him through. “I figured I would study music and keep trying until I failed or couldn’t go any further, and then I’d do something else. But I had to try,” he said.
Through effort, mindset, and perseverance, Goldman steadily built his musical career.
From early orchestral work with the Greater Lansing Symphony and the Orlando Philharmonic, he progressed to principal flute of the National Symphony Orchestra, a position he’s held since 2013.
Goldman’s story is not just about achievement. It’s about what becomes possible when expression replaces performance, and when excellence is at the service of connection.
For those who haven’t listened closely to a flute before, he recommends listening to Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun or Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2.
Listen until the sound itself feels alive. Notice what it connects you to.
When played beautifully, orchestral music can take us to another plane of existence, connect us to the transcendent, and help us to be more fully human.
If we’re all working together to express great music, then that’s what creates a shared experience that brings us closer and builds community