For Prospective Students
Any flute student interested in pursuing music at Murray State is encouraged to contact Stephanie Rea at Stephanie.rea@murraystate.edu to set up a campus visit and a private lesson free of charge. You will find that by touring our campus, observing classes, meeting students and faculty, and having a lesson, you will get a more realistic view of what life is like as a Murray State music student. The flute studio upholds the highest standards of musicianship. If you are serious about music study, you belong here!
About Professor Stephanie Rea
Flutist Stephanie Rea is an accomplished soloist, frequently heard at the National Flute Association's Annual Convention and in recital halls across the United States. Hailed by Flutist Quarterly as "a name to be remembered" and "a rising star and a compelling performer", Rea's active performance schedule also includes orchestral playing as a member of the Jackson (TN) Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the Brevard Music Center, Rome Festival, International Trujillo Bach Festival in Peru, 9th International Suzuki Conference in Japan, College Music Society International Conference in Bangkok, Thailand and at many regional music festivals. She is the Vice President of MidSouth Flute Society, on the Board of Directors for the Flute Society of Kentucky, and serves on the Pedagogy Subcommittee of the National Flute Association.
In her teaching career Rea has enjoyed the successes of her students in private studio teaching in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. She is a professor at Murray State University where she teaches courses in flute and music theory and often performs in collaboration with her colleagues. Her degrees in performance are from East Tennessee State University and The Florida State University where she was a teaching assistant in the areas of both flute and music theory. She has given flute master classes at music schools including the University of Michigan, Arizona State University, Florida State University, and Cincinnati College Conservatory's Preparatory Department. Rea is an active member of the College Music Society and the National Flute Association. Her compact disc Solo French and American Flute Works can be purchased at centaurrecords.com or amazon.com.
About the Flute Studio
The flute studio at Murray State is a close-knit unit of students with various interests in music. Flute majors at Murray State have recently performed at the following:
Murray Calloway County Hospital Long Term Care
Spring Creek Retirement Center
Kentucky Flute Festival
Mid South Flute Festival
National Flute Association
Kentucky Music Educators' Association Conference All-Collegiate Band
WASBE's International Youth Wind Orchestra in Sweden and Singapore
About Current Flute Students
Devan Caton is a senior from Henderson, Kentucky. She is a music education major and has performed in orchestra, wind ensemble, and flute trio.
James-Kyle Damron is a sophomore music education major from Murray, Kentucky. He is an active member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity. James-Kyle is looking to I hope to become a successful music educator after graduation.
Cassie Fischer-Flaherty is a junior music education major from Murray, Kentucky and is head field commander for the Racer Marching Band. She also plays drumset.
Kristy Gaffney is a senior music education major from Illinois. She is student teaching during fall 2007.
Rachel Owen is a freshman music education major from Livingston County, Kentucky.
Nikki Pierceall is a freshman music education major from Murray, Kentucky.
Jennifer (Jen) Myers is a freshman majoring in music education. She graduated from high school in Mascoutah, IL, but her parents now live in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY. Her goal is to become a great high school band director, and maybe later a college director. She is in Racerband, the marching band and Murray State, and has too many hobbies to list.
Marshall Shank is from Owensboro, KY and is a sophomore majoring in music performance.
Heather Waters is a senior music performance major from Murray, KY. She is pursuing a minor in German and enjoys classical music including opera as well as studying languages and art.
Caroline Weiland is a freshman music education major from Columbus, Indiana. She has an interest in music therapy and pursuing graduate work in music. Caroline loves all kinds of music and water sports.
About Our Flute Graduates
Flute alumni from Murray State enjoy various careers in and outside of music.
Joseph Alexander - Graduate Student at University of Minnesota (trombone performance)
Nathan Carroll - General Music Teacher in Union County, KY
Krista Clayton - teaching in Illinois
Esther Dowdy Julian - living in Paducah, KY
Angela Madden Yoo - pursuing teacher certification at Murray State University
Ashley Mattingly - Band Director at Fulton County High School, Fulton, KY
Lauren Wilkerson Maxey - Band Director in Louisville, KY
Alyson Owens Morris - Adjunct Professor and Director of Bands at Rend Lake College,
Ina, Illinois
Elizabeth Rigdon LaNeave - Elementary Teacher at Paducah, KY
Cynthia Roop - Adjunct Professor of Flute and Music Education at Mars Hill College
Director of Bands at Rugby Middle School, Hendersonville, NC
Faculty Member at Joyful Noise, Community Music and Arts Center
Co-Artistic Director Brio Concert Series
Mark Sauerbrunn - Band Director at Olmstead Middle School, Kentucky
April Brewer Sexton - General Music Teacher at Sharpe Elementary School, Benton, KY
Don't see your name here? Need to update information? Please email met at Stephanie.rea@murraystate.edu. I'd love to hear from any flute alumni!
About our Guest Artists
Since 2001, Murray State has been fortunate to host the following flutists as guest artists in recitals and master classes.
Alberto Almarza, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University
John Barcellona, Professor at California State University at Long Beach
Jessica Dunnavant, adjunct faculty at Florida State University
Kyle Dzapo, Bradley University
Deanna Hahn, Associate Professor at Middle Tennessee State University
Maria Harding, Omaha Symphony Orchestra
Sarah Beth Hanson, Memphis Symphony Orchestra
Stephanie Jutt, Professor at University of Wisconsin at Madison
Jennifer Mazzoni, adjunct faculty at Murray State University
Rebecca Paluzzi, Associate Professor at East Tennessee State University, East Tennessee
Suzuki Program
Caen Thomason-Redus, Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee,
former member Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Heather Verbeck, adjunct professor at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
Jim Walker, International Soloist and faculty at University of Southern California
Flute Associations
All flute students and prospective flute students are encouraged to become a member of the Flute Society of Kentucky (www.fskentucky.org), Mid South Flute Society (midsouthflute.org) and/or the National Flute Association (nfaonline.org). For music education students, membership in CMENC and Kentucky Music Educators' Association is strongly encouraged.
For more information concerning applied flute study at
Murray State University
