From his first notes on the flute as a fifth-grade student in the Merit Music in Communities (MMiC) program to performing in masterclasses with world-renowned musicians, Jacob Cornejo has grown into a confident and committed young artist.
After spending several years flourishing in the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory, honing his skills as a Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative fellow, and competing in national competitions with the Purple Hippopotami chamber ensemble, he’s now preparing for his first semester at DePaul University.
But first, he’ll take center stage as a soloist on WFMT’s Introductions on Saturday, June 21. We caught up with Jacob to reflect on his musical journey, the mentors who helped shape him as a musician, and what he’s looking forward to next.
How did you begin your musical journey?
It was the summer before fifth grade, and my school, Rachel Carson Elementary School [an MMiC site], was holding band auditions for the upcoming school year. Our conductor was Mr. David Allie, and he ran a test with all the instruments with everybody to help us pick. At the end of the program, it was between tuba and the flute for me, so I chose the flute because I didn’t want to carry a big tuba around.
I got involved with Conservatory because Mr. Allie was the conductor of the Concert Band, and he recommended that I apply after my first year with the flute. I auditioned for the Conservatory program and got into the Concert Band.
Do you have any favorite memories that stand out about your time at Merit?
One of my first great memories that I have from Merit is my sixth-grade year when we performed at Symphony Center. That was really cool, because it was the first time I’d played there.
Merit is where I first played piccolo, so that’s a cool memory. It was my freshman year of high school. We needed a piccolo player for a piece, so I volunteered, borrowed the piccolo from the library, and started practicing, because the piccolo’s hard.
You have been a member of Merit’s competitive flute ensemble, the Purple Hippopotami (Purple Hippos), for several years. How has this influenced you as a musician?
I was in the Purple Hippos since my freshman year, so four years. I joined because Ms. [Betsy] Ko, our coach, also taught at my high school, so she recruited me there. Being so young, originally I thought I was only going to be in there for fun, to play fun music with other people. I didn’t know when I first walked into rehearsal that it was only going to be four of us, and we each had to know our parts, because I didn’t know my part. So the following Monday at school, I asked if I could be removed from the group. Ms. Ko took me outside, we had a talk, and four years later, I’m forever grateful that she had that talk with me about staying in the Hippos.
In chamber music, you have to do a lot of listening to each other. That’s hard to do while you’re playing your instrument, so I’ve had to learn how to adapt to that. I also learned responsibility. I had to be responsible for myself, and when I was the first flute for a certain piece, I had to be responsible for everybody else and make sure that we’re all coordinated.
What was your experience like participating in competitions with the Hippos?
The first competition my freshman year was virtual because we were still coming out of COVID. I remember being in Gottlieb [Hall] with big TV set up, and the judges were there virtually. I remember being very nervous, even though there was nobody there and we were just in Gottlieb. That experience was great and taught me a lot.
The following years we did go in person, and we advanced in multiple competitions. My first time going to Fischoff [National Chamber Music Competition] was my sophomore year, and that was an eye opener. I never imagined the chamber music world would be so big and there would be an international competition about it. We won the [Midwest Young Artists] competition my junior year, and we got multiple honorable mentions this year.
On top of your involvement with Merit, you are a Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative (CMPI) fellow. How did you get involved with CMPI?
I found out about CMPI through Carson [Elementary] as well, because Mr. Allie put flyers around I joined CMPI their second year, so I’ve been in the program for six years.
[CMPI] helped a tremendous amount with my growth and getting me to where I am now. They provide you with funding for lessons and to buy a new instrument. You get the opportunity to do masterclasses with professionals in your instrument. They put a lot on you, but it’s because they’re preparing you for the collegiate level.
Without Merit, I don't think I would be where I am today. Merit has been like a second home to me. So it's always going to be a special place in my heart.
In your years at Merit and CMPI, have you had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with guest artists?
Oh yeah, a lot! Most recently there was Demarre McGill earlier this year. Last year, I did a masterclass with Adam Walker from the London Symphony. Ebonee Thomas from the University of Texas came the year before, and I did a masterclass with her.
I think my first masterclass was with Marina Piccinini from the Peabody Institute, and it was a very humbling experience. She pointed out a lot that I needed to improve. I was a sophomore then, so when I met her again, I was a senior doing my audition at Peabody. I hope she saw that my fingers were even and that I improved.
Congratulations on your recent graduation! What’s in store for you next?
I’m going to DePaul University in the fall for my undergraduate studies, where I’m going to be studying flute with Aaron Goldman and Alex Johnson. I also plan on auditioning for the Civic Orchestra in a year or two to get that professional orchestral audition experience.
What has your time at Merit meant to you?
Without Merit, I don’t think I would be where I am today. I was there for almost ten years, and Merit has been like a second home to me. So it’s always going to be a special place in my heart.
Join us on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 10:30am in the Anne and Howard Gottlieb Hall at Merit’s Joy Faith Knapp Music Center for the live recording of Jacob’s performance! Reserve your spot now.
