USC All State Flute Workshop - Nov. 12 9:00am-4:00pm

 The USC Flute Studio will host a workshop for middle school and high school flutists preparing for SC honor band audition. Participants will become acquainted with the audition process with sessions focused on scales, solos, terms, sight reading, and mental preparation. Lunch is catered by Moe's and the workshop ends with a mock audition.Registration is now open! Forms are due in advance by Nov. 7. Day-of registration is available but does not gaurantee lunch.

USC Fall Flute Festival  

The flute studio at USC will host the annual Fall Flute Festival featuring guest artist, Christina Jennings from the University of Colorado- Boulder. Ms. Jennings will present a masterclass with students from USC and the winner of the High School Masterclass Competition.  The Honors Flute Choir will perform a concert before Ms. Jenning's recital, and registration  is open to any high school student. All events will be held in Johnson Performance Hall in the Darla Moore School of Business and are open and free to the public. Join us on Saturday, November 14 for a 10 a.m. masterclass and 5pm recital. 

Raleigh Area Flute Association Competition

Zach Warren was named a semi-finalist in the 2015 Raleigh Area Flute Association's Competition. Zach will perform at the competition on November 14. Congratulations Zach!

USC flutists were teaching, performing, and serving as interns across the country this past summer

Emily Stumpf performed as an orchestral musician at the Pierre Monteux School in Maine. Diane Kessel attended the National Music Festival in Chestertown, MD. Lauren Watkins performed for her third summer with the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra in Branson, MO as a member of the orchestra and as a Resident Ensemble with her flute and percussion duo, flusSion. She and duo partner, Jeff Vaughn, created and taught a summer camp at Trustus Theater in Columbia called "The Experimental Performer." Philip Snyder was an intern at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in Sewanee, TN.  Mimi Harding performed at the Philadelphia International Music Festival.

USC flutists win awards at multiple competitions

Lauren Watkins (DMA) won Third Place in the 2015 Myrna Brown Artist Competition hosted by the Texas Flute Society.  Lauren was also a finalist in the 2015 Byron Hester Competition held in Houston, TX.  Korinne Smith (DMA) won Second Prize in the SC Flute Society's Young Artist Competition held in Charleston, SC.  Korinne and Emily Stumpf (DMA) were selected to perform in masterclass for Paula Robison at the SC Flute Society's Spring Festival.  Zach Warren (BM) and Samantha Marshall (BM) were selected as finalists for the Flute Society of Kentucky's Collegiate Artist Competition. Zach was awarded First Prize and Samantha was awarded Second Prize at the January competition.  Zach Warren (BM) was awarded First Prize in the Flute Society's of Washington's Collegiate Soloist Competition at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Flute Fair in February. Samantha Marshall (BM) won Third Prize in the 2015 Florida Flute Association's Collegiate Artist Competition.   

Sounds Around Town, April 25

Sounds Around town presented by the USC Flute Studio showcases USC students, faculty, and staff in a one day music festival held in four locations around Columbia.  Join us for concerts on the hour every hour from 10am-7pm on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at the USC Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia Museum of Art, Five Points Fountain, and Whole Foods on Devine. Enjoy a day outside listening to beautiful music while spending time with friends and family in our wonderful city. 

Spring Semester Guest Artists

The Carolina Flute Guild will host multiple guest artists for masterclasses and concerts during the Spring Semester.  Jonathan Keeble, Professor of Flute at the University of Illinois, will be on campus for a masterclass and recital on February 23. Mimi Stillman, Artistic Director and flutist with Dolce Suono will present a masterclass for USC flute students on February 24. Dolce Suono will perform a concert on the Southern Exposure concert series on February 25. Alison Sincoff, Associate Professor of Flute at Ohio University, will present a masterclass and recital on April 1.  This is sure to be a great semester filled with wonderful flutists working with our students at USC. 

USC Flute Studio Alumni Accomplishments

Kenneth Cox (BM '14) will compete as a finalist in the 2015 Atlanta Flute Club's Young Artist Competition.  Blair Francis (BM '12) can be seen performing with the New York Philharmonic flute section in an upcoming concert. Sarah Robinson (DMA '13) recently published a book called "Clubbing For Classical Musicians" based off her doctoral research while at USC. 

Carolina Flute Guild Fall Festival

The Carolina Flute Guild hosted a Fall Festival on Saturday, November 15 at the USC School of Music. Philip Dikeman, Associate Professor of Flute at Vanderbilt University, will presented masterclass and recital. The masterclass featured the winner of the High School Masterclass Competition along with current USC flute students.  The Honors Flute Choir conducted by Georgianna Oswald rehearsed and performed at the Fall Festival.  Thank you to all the wonderful flutists who joined us for a great day of learning, performing, and friendship! Stay tuned for details regarding the 2015 Carolina Flute Guild Fall Festival.

USC Students will study and perform all over the world this summer.

Diane Kessel (DMA) will perform at the National Music Festival in Chestertown, MD.  Lauren Watkins (DMA) will perform as a flute and piccolo fellow with the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra in Branson, MO. She will also perform with her flute and percussion duo, flusSion, in a Spotlight Concert at the 2014 Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.  Stacey Russell (DMA) and Samantha Marshall (BM) will study at the Saarburg Serenaden International Music Festival in Saarburg, Germany this summer.   Philip Snyder (MM) will travel to Japan to study Shakuhatchie flute.  Philip will also attend Jim Walker's Beyond the Masterclass held at the Colburn School in Los Angeles.  Incoming undergraduate student Mimi Harding will attend the Wildacres Flute Retreat held in Little Switzerland, NC. 

Congratulations Class of 2014

Seniors Kenny Cox and Caroline Beard will pursue their Master's degree in Flute Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) beginning in the Fall as students of Dr. Bradley Garner. Senior Christian Bailey will begin studies at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music as a student of John Thorne as he pursues a Master's degree in Flute Performance. Senior Brittany Schofield graduated with a degree in Music Education and will pursue a career as an educator.  Emily Stumpf (MM) will begin her Doctoral degree at USC in the Fall as a continuing student of Dr. Parker-Harley.

USC Students win prizes in local and national competitions

Congratulations to all of our current students for representing the USC Flute Studio in multiple local and national competitions! Philip Snyder (MM) was selected as a winner of the National Flute Association's Masterclass Competition.  Philip will perform at the 2014 convention held in Chicago in August. Diane Kessel (DMA) and Philip Snyder (MM) competed in the Young Artist Competition at the South Carolina Flute Society's Spring Festival.  Diane was awarded Second Prize and Philip was awarded Third Prize. Lauren Watkins (DMA) won Second Prize in the Mid-South Flute Society's Young Artist Competition held in Murfreesboro, TN in late March. Freshman Emily Hessler was named winner of the Collegiate Winds Division of the Columbia Music Club Scholarship.  As a result, she was selected to perform on the winner's recital held in the Recital Hall of the Wright Spears Music/Arts Center at Columbia College. Kenneth Cox, currently a senior at USC, won second prize at the 2014 Florida Flute Association College Young Artist Competition in Orlando, Florida.  He was one of five finalists chosen from across the US to appear in the live round of competition at the convention in late January.  Philip Snyder (MM) was selected as a finalist in the 2014 Coeur d'Alene Symphony Orchestra's Concerto Competition.  Zach Warren (BM) and Korinne Smith (DMA) traveled to Kentucky to compete in the final round of the 2014 Kentucky Flute Society's Competitions. Zach won Third Prize in the Collegiate Artist Competition, and Korinne won Second Prize in the Young Artist Competition.

Meghan Bennett selected as finalist in the Atlanta Flute Club Competition

Meghan Bennett (BM, USC '11) was selected as one of three finalists in the Atlanta Flute Club Competition. Meghan will travel to Georgia to compete at the annual Atlanta Flute Fair held at the end of February. 

Dr. Jennifer Parker-Harley performs as soloist with the USC Wind Ensemble

Dr. Parker-Harley and flutists from the USC Wind Ensemble and USC Symphonic Winds will perform Henry Brant's "Angels and Devils" for solo flute and flute orchestra. The concert takes place at the Koger Center for the Arts on Tuesday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. 

Caroline Beard published in "Caravel" Undergraduate Research Journal

Caroline Beard's (BM, USC '14) article "Piece for solo flute: an Interpretation" was published in the USC Undergraduate Research Journal "Caravel."  The article includes how her research on composer Jacques Ibert influenced her study and performance of his Piece for solo flute and her own recording of the work.

USC Studio Members win SC Flute Society Masterclass Competition

USC students Kenneth Cox, Samantha Marshall, Stacey Russell, and Lauren Watkins were selected as winners of the South Carolina Flute Society's Masterclass Competition. Each student will perform in a master class for Guest Artist Katherine Kemler at the annual Fall Seminar held on November 16th at USC. For more information, please visit www.scflute.org 

Blair Francis wins Second Flute with the Austin Symphony Orchestra

Blair Francis (BM, USC '12) is currently pursuing a Master of Music in flute performance at the University of Texas- Austin as a student of Marianne Gedigian. In August 2013 Blair was awarded the position of Second Flute with the Austin Symphony Orchestra (TX). Blair will perform with the orchestra during the 2013-2014 concert season with highlights being Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, Brahm's Symphony No. 2, Verdi's Requiem, and Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra.      

Sarah Robinson invited to Guest Blog on Greg Sandow's popular Arts Journal

Sarah Robinson (DMA, USC '13), completed her dissertation on chamber music in alternative venues in May. Now living in Los Angeles, Sarah is flutist for the world/classical/rock group Helix Collective. She is also co-director of Classical Revolution: L.A. which hosts classical music in bars and clubs around the city. Sarah was invited to guest blog about her research and extensive club experience on Greg Sandow's popular Arts Journal blog about the future of classical music. Sarah was also a panelist discussing sustainable entrepreneurship at the "Are We Listening? A Symposium on Music, Change and Challenge" at Boston University on October 25.