In a moment reminiscent of a scene from a Disney film, a Japanese-born, Chicago-based flautist has demonstrated her, literally, unflinching professionalism, powering through a solo unfazed while a malevolent invading butterfly was perched menacingly on her forehead.
Perhaps drawn in by the ethereal sounds of Yukie Ota‘s flute, the multicoloured insect with an ear for the classics bypassed the crowd and landed itself a front seat smack bang on Ota’s face, where it remained for the rest of her solo.
Ota, who was playing in the first round of the hugely competitive Carl Nielsen International Flute Competition in Denmark, merely glanced up at her winged companion and kept playing, either in demonstration of her consummate professionalism or revealing her existence as the modern day incarnation of Snow White.
Resisting all temptations to vigorously shake her face, Ota gracefully blitzed through her rendition of Pierre Sancan‘s Sonatine For Flute and Piano. Winners for the competition will be announced on September 20th but clearly the insect world has already picked their champion. And so have we.
