Musician 1st Class Maria Mandico, a Colorado Springs native, was introduced to music through her first piano teacher; her grandmother. It wasn’t until the sixth grade that she chose the flute, inspired by her cousin Chief Musician Laura Pirruccello who currently serves as piccolo instrumentalist in the U.S. Coast Guard Band. “When I discovered the piccolo in eighth grade, it stole my heart and it’s been my favorite instrument ever since.”
Mandico’s path to becoming a professional flutist was shaped during her high school years. Being part of the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony offered her the opportunity to perform in iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and the Shanghai Opera House. Equally impactful was her time in the Rampart Regiment High School marching band, an experience that unwittingly foreshadowed her future in military music.
After high school, Mandico attended the University of Colorado at Boulder to study flute performance under Christina Jennings. She minored in French, which gave her the opportunity to study abroad in Nancy, France, with flutist Gaspar Hoyos. She continued her graduate studies at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, studying with Marco Granados. Her studies with Granados were transformative, as his approach to the flute helped her heal from an overuse injury and helped shape her own approach to flute pedagogy and the physiology of playing.
Mandico’s experiences at Bard College changed her philosophies on teaching and body alignment while performing, particularly with an instrument that requires a certain asymmetry in the body. She first encountered the Swiss mind-body music education method called Dalcroze Eurythmics in graduate school and has continued her studies since returning to the New England area, completing her certifications as a Dalcroze educator.
Mandico did not initially plan on joining the military, but on a whim decided to take a flute audition with the U.S. Navy Fleet Bands. The job was alluring with its benefits and the possibility of being sent to Europe. Winning the audition launched into a challenging but rewarding year. While navigating boot camp, playing “The Stars and Stripes Forever” in recruit band at every graduation was a highlight.
Mandico’s first assignment was with the Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band in Naples, Italy. “It was a life-changing, healing experience.” Playing music in the Navy is, in her words, “the most up-close and personal way to connect with humanity.” Serving as a goodwill ambassador has allowed her to merge her love of travel and languages with a larger mission of peace and teamwork. Her time overseas was filled with unforgettable highlights such as driving into the countryside village of Roccasecca for a flute festival, being a part of a special collaboration with a French Air Force Band at Napoleon’s Tomb in Paris, playing at Pope Francis’ Wednesday audience in autumn 2021, traveling to Malta on the USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) and making lifelong friendships and memories. Being in the presence of a world figure such as Pope Francis, and getting to take a photograph with him, is the highlight of her naval career.
When asked why her role in the Navy matters, Mandico’s answer is resolute. “Music is a bridge and a modality for communication and connection to human hearts,” she explains. In the Navy, music is utilized as a vital soft-power asset and is unrivaled in its ability to boost esprit de corps, morale and recruiting efforts. Every time she marches in a parade, she reflects on the Revolutionary War, remembering what live music meant to troops for timekeeping and discipline. Today, her piccolo remains an instrument of joy and service. “Our job is to change hearts and minds, and that is my why.”
