Meet Kelly Meholic

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelly Meholic. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kelly , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Throughout grade school, my main goal was to be invisible. Being a twin was a double edged sword in accomplishing this goal—everyone knew me as one of the twins, but only my close friends could tell my sister Andrea and me apart. To this day, I feel awful when I can’t distinguish between twins, as if being one should have given me special extra x-ray twin distinguishing abilities. What I’ve learned, though, is that sometimes you just need to take the time to really study and see people.

Then, in sixth grade, I started playing the flute. I had taken lessons for a couple of months, so my band teacher, Mr. Erickson, allowed me to play the flute while the other students were still deciding between cornet and clarinet. With that small head start and private lessons, I started getting noticed as an individual for the first time in my life. I was no longer just one of the twins—I was now the twin who played the flute! As I reached new milestones with my instrument, my self-esteem grew, and the flute gave me a voice to express myself.

This newfound confidence carried me through school, but after graduating, I felt like I was back at square one. I began questioning everything, and the identity I had built started to crumble. My twenties were difficult, especially trying to find work in music during the aftermath of the 2008 recession. The one thing that had given me confidence—being a flutist—no longer seemed like a viable option.

In my thirties, I was drawn back into music, eventually playing again and becoming the executive director of the Alpharetta Symphony. Though this role came with its own challenges, I knew deep down that I needed to pursue music relentlessly. When I started in arts administration, I was far from knowledgeable, but that ignorance made it easier for me to try because I was less afraid of failing. With the flute, I had invested so much of my heart and soul that everything felt hypersensitive. But leading an orchestra gave me a sense of freedom, like driving a car instead of being a passenger on a plane.

Even though I wasn’t fully equipped for the job, I could sense how my past experiences were shaping my new career. I could see the progress we were making and feel the impact on the community, and that was more than enough to keep me going.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

In my role as executive director of the Alpharetta Symphony, I am responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the orchestra, including managing our personnel and financial resources. Along with the music director and board president, I work to achieve the Alpharetta Symphony’s mission to inspire, connect, educate, and enrich our home city of Alpharetta and North Fulton through the magic of classical music. Specifically, my key responsibilities include; working with the music director to ensure a quality artistic product and experience, developing our audience and brand, coordinating activities, such as youth orchestra concerts and workshops with our education and outreach director, working to increase our revenue and resources, overseeing our staff, managing the budget, and engaging and developing key stakeholders to be advocates in the community for the symphony.

As principal flutist, I am responsible for leading and overseeing my section and playing orchestral solos. This requires many hours of individual practice as well as leading the occasional sectional. Additionally, I play in the Alpharetta Symphony Woodwind Quintet and participate in other performances and events where I act as an advocate for the symphony.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

As executive director of a symphony, much of my day involves tasks that aren’t directly related to music. However, having a strong background and deep knowledge of music is essential to my role, especially in a smaller organization where I wear many hats. For example, on days when I’m more involved in marketing, understanding the nuances and language of the music world is crucial for getting the messaging right. Music is like a language—communicating effectively is far easier when you’re fluent.

One important lesson I’ve learned is to have a clear vision while also letting go of the need to control exactly how said vision unfolds. This mindset has had a huge impact on my journey. Sometimes we’re so focused on staying the course that we miss opportunities along the way. It’s important to put your intentions out into the universe, but then trust the process—whether you call it God or something else—and be open to saying “yes” to new opportunities until you have the clarity you need to say “no.”

One of my favorite aspects of my job is collaboration, whether it’s playing music together or working as a team to achieve a goal. I love bouncing ideas off others and hearing their perspectives—the end result is almost always stronger when we collaborate. One tool I have used to better understand and work with my team is the Enneagram test, which reveals each person’s personality type, motivations, and fears. It’s incredibly useful to see how others view the world and to know who to turn to for help in specific areas. I highly recommend it for any team looking to strengthen their dynamics!

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

The Alpharetta Symphony is always seeking collaborations to better fulfill our mission. Whether it’s partnering with soloists, other performing and arts groups, nonprofits serving Fulton County, or businesses looking to engage with the community through the arts, collaboration is key to our success. These partnerships allow us to expand our reach, bring fresh perspectives to our performances, and create meaningful connections that enrich the community. By working together, we can amplify our impact and ensure that the arts continue to thrive in Alpharetta and beyond.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alpharettasymphony.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alpharettasymphony/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alpharettasymphony/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-meholic/

Image Credits

Alexandra Zak, Ümit Yuksel, Eric Burkard