VANCOUVER SAXOPHONIST JULIA Nolan grew up in Montreal surrounded by music: her mom was a pianist and her sax-playing father led the church choir.
An early love of song led Nolan to pick up the flute in school. She switched to the saxophone in her late teens and admits she didn’t like the instrument at first: “It was so different from the light and lovely flute!” she tells Stir.
“But I soon found benefits to playing both and finally continued through college and university as a saxophonist,” Nolan says. “I think what drew me to the instrument was the lower tones, the lush, very mezzo-voice quality to the instrument. That, and playing in jazz bands—oddly different soundscapes [compared to classical music], but I love both.”