About Vannesa
I am a flutist, teacher, and arts administrator originally from the Washington D.C. metro area. I earned my Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts Management degrees from George Mason University and recently received my Master of Music in flute performance from the University of North Texas under the tutelage of Terri Sundberg.
During my studies I have performed in a variety of ensembles ranging from baroque ensemble and small chamber groups to larger ensembles including orchestra and wind bands. I was selected as a Sphinx NAAS Audition Intensive participant and was also a finalist in the Mid- Atlantic collegiate soloist competition and performer in the Guest Artist Masterclass with Valerie Coleman. I have also been selected to perform in masterclasses with Dionne Jackson, Sarah Frisof, and Leah Arsenault among others. Additionally, I am grateful to have been selected as one of six students as an international teaching scholar to represent George Mason's School of Music. While in Costa Rica, we performed and taught in collaboration with the Mason Community Arts Academy, the School of Music, the Nacional Instituto de la Musica in Costa Rica, and the SINEM Program, the Costa Rican government's initiative to establish quality music programs in communities. As an advocate for creating more equitable art opportunities having also been a teaching artist for Music for Life, I truly believe in the power of using music and the arts as a vehicle for social and societal improvement.
Now residing in the Dallas area, I have taught in several districts teaching in both private lesson and masterclass settings as well as served as an adjudicator for solo and ensemble and other music competitions. I currently work with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as a marketing associate while maintaining an active freelance career both through arts admin and teaching and performing projects. As a firm believer in breaking boundaries within the "classical arts" I am passionate about collaborative projects that intersect visual and performing arts and engage our local communities. It's truly never a dull moment getting to work on such a variety of projects and I am thankful that music is a part of it each and every day!
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