I’ve known Catherine Branch for four years now, and I can honestly say I don’t remember ever seeing a frown on her face. She is one of the most beautiful people I know, both inside and out, and she’s been an inspiration to me since I came to Eastman.

I first saw Catherine when I visited Rice University in 2008 and sat in on a flute studio class. She was in a wheelchair then, and I remember her performing the Prokofiev Sonata. Something in her playing really struck me and I know this is so cheesy to say, but it seemed like she was flying instead of sitting down. I think she, more than most of us, understands the way music can transport you to another place. And I think maybe this is part of the motivation behind her upcoming CD release. Catherine, along with an amazing team of musicians, raised over $3,000 to record an album called “Music of Difference.” I think it speaks highly of her that so many people wanted to help fund her project. I think it’s an incredibly inspiring undertaking (read more about it here). And more than anything, I’m just thrilled that I could contribute to the project, even if it’s just in a tiny way.

To close, her own words:

“I [remain] convinced that having a disability [is] not a “defect,” but an experience, that just as each of our experiences shape who we are and who we become, the experience of disability can add a unique and positive perspective to one’s life.”