Blair Flute Studio

“Teaching students to view life with creativity and enthusiasm is important to me.  I encourage my students to jump into every opportunity possible, so that they are better able to figure out their ideal role in the musical community. As a professor of music, my primary role is to expand each student’s love for music, while creating an environment that provides structure and support.”

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching students to view life with creativity and enthusiasm is important to me.  I encourage my students to jump into every opportunity possible, so that they are better able to figure out their ideal role in the musical community. As a professor of music, my primary role is to expand each student’s love for music, while creating an environment that provides structure and support. I encourage critical thinking among my students, as I ask them to relate their music pursuits to the world at large. Entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary events, and business savvy are taught in conjunction with technical and musical aspects of flute playing. Teaching by example as well as through weekly lessons and flute classes offers my students the skills and knowledge to realize their full potential.

Due to my passion for and reputation in the world of contemporary music, many of my students are drawn to the studies with me with a desire to follow in my contemporary music footsteps. I find myself remarking to these students in particular that they need to first generalize their knowledge in order to eventually be able to specialize. I make a point each term to actively include fundamentals, etudes, orchestral excerpts and solo works from all time periods into weekly lessons. Studio classes present the opportunity to instruct students in skills both music and business-related; students develop performance skills, offer constructive comments to their peers, and learn about topics such as extended techniques, public speaking, and development of successful marketing and auditioning techniques. Every year, I invite guests from various disciplines to present topics in our studio class. Each term we present a flute studio recital, often in collaboration with other studios and areas of the music school. The flute studio has commissioned and premiered scores of new compositions. My students perform one recital each semester, in various locations on and off campus. 

Upon graduation, Blair flute students will have gained knowledge on auxiliary instruments such as the piccolo and alto flute, and they will have had several public speaking experiences and will understand the need to present themselves in a professional manner at all times. Most importantly, in my opinion, my flute students gain two important abilities that are essential to reach the top echelon in any business. First, my students will possess the self-control, dedication, and attention to detail that is honed while sitting in isolation in a practice room for hours each day perfecting the art of flute playing. Second, my students will become colleagues whom everyone wants to hire: serious yet jovial, committed yet flexible, knowledgeable yet humble.

Students of mine have been widely recognized for their talents and have performed in master classes of many experts, and they have been admitted to numerous summer festivals and have performed at National Flute Association Conventions. Many of my present and former students are active freelancers throughout the nation. Students who have graduated from my flute program have gone on to pursue further degrees at esteemed schools worldwide, and former students of mine hold adjunct and tenure track teaching positions throughout the nation.

I would love to meet with you if you plan to audition for admittance to the flute studio. Please feel free to email or call me with any questions about the program or to set up a lesson.

Degree Programs Offered/ B.Mus., B. Musical Arts/

Scholarships available to highly qualified applicants.

For more information about the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, admissions procedures, and audition dates and requirements, please visit https://blair.vanderbilt.edu/

Blair School Of Music

Vanderbilt University

Teaching students to view life with creativity and enthusiasm is important to me.  I encourage my students to jump into every opportunity possible, so that they are better able to figure out their ideal role in the musical community. As a professor of music, my primary role is to expand each student’s love for music, while creating an environment that provides structure and support.

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Why Vanderbilt?

Blair Flute Studio

“The Blair School of Music is a perfect place for an undergraduate musician to flourish. The resources of Vanderbilt University contribute to the success of every student. World-class faculty act as a team to enhance students’ base of knowledge. The flute studio environment is warm and supportive, and the large and small ensembles foster a sense of community. The small size of the flute studio results in my utmost dedication to my students, as they prepare for competitions, auditions, and future endeavors in life.”

Frequently Asked Questions

    • Each year the admissions team decides how many openings I am allocated. It varies depending on a number of factors.

    • I never have more than 12 students in my studio. Happily, this small studio size allows me to give a lot of attention to each student!

    • B and C major and harmonic minor scales, 3 octaves, as fast as possible: slur ascending, articulate descending (prescreening only)

    • Two selections from the flute literature that contrast in style and time period, and represent the applicant's musical maturity and technical skill. Selections may be single movements drawn from a sonata, concerto, or similar concert piece (prescreening and audition)

    • One unaccompanied solo flute work (audition only)

    • Two orchestral excerpts of applicant’s choice (audition only)

    • Sight-reading (audition only)

    The audition requirements are listed on this Blair webpage: https://blair.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/prescreening-auditions/#h2--woodwinds 

  • There are many performance opportunities at Blair! The large ensemble program information can be found here:

    https://blair.vanderbilt.edu/ensembles/orchestra-wind/

    Information on the chamber music program can be found at this link:

    https://blair.vanderbilt.edu/ensembles/chamber-music/

    Each semester, the flute studio performs a recital, either on the Vanderbilt University campus or within the community.

    Many ad hoc performance opportunities present themselves throughout the course of the year. Performances of student and faculty composers’ works and on student collaborative recitals are a great way to gain experience. Hired work throughout the Nashville area is also available from time to time. Additionally, Vanderbilt has a few organizations that engage musicians to play at hospitals and retirement homes throughout the area.

  • The admissions team works with admitted students and their families to make the cost of a Vanderbilt education affordable. Please check out the options here: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/financialaid/

  • Past guests include:

    • Elise Blatchford (University of Memphis, flutist in City of Tomorrow wind quintet)

    • Lisa Bost (composer/new music specialist)

    • Maria Fernanda Castillo, Flute Professor, University of TN Knoxville

    • Orlando Cela (Contemporary music specialist, Boston)

    • Claire Chase (contemporary music expert)

    • Mary Karen Clardy (Soloist, Flute Professor, University of North Texas)

    • Flutronix (Nathalie Joachim and Allison Loggins-Hull) 

    • Sarah Frisof (University of Maryland)

    • Zachariah Galatis (Piccolo, Oregon Symphony)

    • Marco Granados (Venezuelan flutist and composer)

    • Erik Gratton (Nashville Symphony principal flutist)

    • James Hall (University of Northern Colorado)

    • Mark Huskey (military band)

    • Jonathan Keeble (University of Illinois)

    • Eric Lamb (professional flutist in Europe)

    • Ethan Lin (sales representative and repair technician and flutist, Burkart Flutes)

    • Martha Long (Principal Flute, Oregon Symphony)

    • Lorna McGhee (Soloist, Principal Flute, Boston Symphony)

    • John McMurtery (NYC Opera/OR Symphony)

    • Javier Montilla (Venezuelan flute virtuoso)

    • Conor Nelson (UW Madison Flute Professor)

    • Jennifer Parker Harley (University of South Carolina)

    • Alicia D’Donato Paulsen (flutist, Oregon Symphony Orchestra) 

    • Greg Pattillo (jazz artist and composer)

    • Jim Phelan (flute maker, Burkart Flutes)

    • Kim Pineda (baroque flute specialist)

    • John Savage (composer/new music specialist) 

    • Kim Scott (jazz artist)

    • Marieke Shuurs (body-mapping expert)

    • Mary Stolper (retired, DePaul University)

    • Jesse Tatum (Santa Fe Symphony Principal Flute) 

    • Ebonee Thomas (University of TX Austin)

    • Luis Julio Toro (Venezuelan flutist)

    • Marc Vanscheeujick (Baroque music expert)

    • Daniel Velasco (University of Kansas)

    • Gloria Yun (Piccolo, Nashville Symphony)