About the Academy
What do you get when you combine a professional flutist who has a love for music education, motivated and enthusiastic students, multiple performance and learning opportunities monthly, and a flute dog?
Magic.
Beginnings
When I began playing the flute in the 6th grade, I had no idea that I would be building a first class flute academy in my home town.
Like many 6th graders, I had a love for music and wanted to learn more about my instrument than what I was learning in band. My nonmusical parents sought out private lessons for me at the local music store. There was not a flute specialist available, so I took lessons from Dan, a saxophonist. Dan was wonderful and taught me a lot, but I soon outgrew what he could teach me. In my last year of high school, I moved to lessons with Lisa where I learned a lot, but realized I should have been having these types of lessons for years already. I learned flute solos and specific flute exercises.
Lessons with Dan were a lot like most music lessons in the Atlanta area even today. You had one, thirty minute lesson once a week and focused on learning band music and All State Honor Band audition material. I thought this was awesome! I was getting better and making it in honor band each year as well as youth ensembles in the Atlanta area. I thought I was on fire...until I got to college.
In college, I faced new challenges that I had never encountered before. I had to learn a solo with piano accompaniment and perform it on a stage in front of people. I was encouraged to participate in competitions. I had to learn how to play in chamber ensembles. The world of flute and music making was much larger than I had even imagined.
Why not?
After graduating with three degrees in music, I realized how important it was to be exposed to a diverse set of opportunities in music from a young age. Why couldn't a pre-college flute education be similar to a college flute education? Why couldn't preteens and teens learn how to perform solos on a stage in front of an audience, learn how to play chamber music, take part in masterclasses with professional flutists, and participate in competitions too? Why couldn't flutists be exposed to these experiences very early on?
A new music education concept was born...and it works.
After keeping students busy with weekly lessons, 4 recitals each year, encouraging participation in competitions and youth ensembles, masterclasses, chamber ensembles, and a flute camp, the results were AMAZING. Within 2 years from beginning learning the instrument, students were better than I was in high school. And they were happy and proud of themselves.
I had found my calling. I brought this concept back to my home town and now have a flourishing group of flutists who are learning to love music as well as be productive members of their community.
