In an orchestra of more than 80 musicians, the piccolo’s voice can cut through the entire hall — bright, piercing, unmistakable. For Utah Symphony’s Caitlyn Valovick Moore, that distinct voice is more than just an instrument; it’s a personality she’s shaped her career around.

“Yes, I see the piccolo as having a personality of its own,” Moore said. “It gets to have many roles — from being the top voice of a melodic line, or getting to be flashy, to adding a shimmer to the sound. It can be plaintive too.”

Caitlyn Valovick Moore make notes to a Berlioz piece. (Photo courtesy Utah Symphony)

That range mirrors her own approach to life: versatile, curious and grounded. Moore has held the principal piccolo chair with the Utah Symphony for years, performing some of the orchestra’s most stirring passages. Over time, she’s grown even more at ease with an instrument that demands both precision and boldness.

“My relationship with the piccolo has changed a bit,” Moore said. “I’ve gotten even more comfortable with it, but I keep wanting to challenge myself with new repertoire. It’s challenging, of course — but fun too.”

Though she spends countless hours with her instruments, Moore doesn’t give them nicknames like some musicians do. “It does feel strange if I travel without one, though,” she said. She still plays her first professional-level flute, an old Powell made in the 1960s, and her first piccolo from her final year of undergrad — proof to her loyalty and sense of musical roots.

Offstage, Moore’s life looks far from the spotlight. She’s a potter, knitter, reader, road biker and an avid hiker. On weekends, she and her husband can often be found walking their yellow Labrador, Heidi, along the Jordan River Trail or through Murray Park.

Murray resident Caitlyn Valovick Moore (center) performs with the Utah Symphony. (Photo courtesy Utah Symphony)

“Heidi’s about 9 now. She gets walked twice a day, so it’s either me in the morning or I’ll take the evening shift,” Moore said. The dog, apparently, is also an audience of one for at-home practice sessions. “She likes to practice her singing and howling when I play. It’s pretty cute.”

For Moore, living in Murray was a deliberate choice. She and her husband moved from Salt Lake City during the pandemic, drawn by the promise of a little more space and a sense of community.

“My husband and I rode the whole Jordan River Trail during COVID, and I was so taken with Murray,” Moore said. “I love how everything is close and handy. Murray City Park is amazing, and I appreciate how the community is rallying around preserving its history.”

That connection to community and place resonates with how she sees her role as a musician — and a teacher. At the University of Utah, where she guides young flutists and piccoloists, Moore emphasizes that music is more than notes on a page.

“I hope students remember the feeling that music gives them — whether it’s joy, beauty, fun or a creative reprieve from other studies,” Moore said. “It’s always there for them to come back to. It offers another way to communicate.”

Murray resident Caitlyn Valovick Moore. (Photo courtesy Utah Symphony)

 It’s a perspective that has deepened for Moore through performances that transcend mere sound. She recalls Mahler’s “Symphony No. 2” with the Tabernacle Choir as part of the OC Tanner Gift of Music concerts, and the powerful moment performing the Ukrainian national anthem after the 2022 invasion. “There are times it hits me how unbelievably fortunate I am to get to do this as my job,” Moore said. “Music is so powerful — it communicates without words.”

While the drive for perfection is a constant for any orchestral musician, Moore insists on balance. “I try to keep that drive for perfectionism more for the stage and practice room rather than daily life,” she said. Pottery, gardening, and evenings on the deck with a good book and iced coffee help keep that sense of perspective.

Looking ahead, Moore says she will continue pushing herself artistically while staying rooted in her adopted hometown.

“Murray has given us the best neighbors and the community feel we hoped for,” she said. 

You can catch Moore and her next performance with the Utah Symphony by visiting www.utahsymphony.org/.