Mindi Calabrese – Flutist / Teacher in Eugene and Springfield, OR
Mindi Calabrese is a graduate of the Lamont School of Music, a part of the University of Denver, as well as the prestigious Ithaca College of Music in Ithaca, New York. She has also taken doctoral studies in Flute Performance at the University of Oregon. She has studied with internationally known musicians Louise DiTullio, Wendy Mehne, Jeani Muhonen Foster, Maralyn Prestia and Richard Trombley, and has participated in numerous master classes around the country.
Mindi has performed with multiple large and chamber ensembles, including wind ensemble, wind quintet, pit orchestra (both operas and musicals), symphony orchestra and jazz ensemble. She enjoys playing a wide variety of musical styles, and has performed several times as both a recital soloist, as well as an orchestral soloist. She has extensive knowledge of the standard flute solo repertoire, and is always open to new music ideas.
As a flutist with over 15 years of experience, she is excited to continue passing on her love of the flute to others. Mindi began her career as a private flute teacher, flute methods instructor, and flute ensemble director during her time as a Graduate Teaching Fellow in Ithaca, NY. After receiving her Masters in Flute Performance from Ithaca, she returned to her hometown of Denver, CO to spend several years as a private flute teacher and local performer. Eugene provided more private students during her study at the University of Oregon, as well as local performances with the UO Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles.
Mindi is currently a member of the Eugene Symphonic Band, the Riverside Chamber Symphony, and the Sweet Winds Quintet. She also currently runs a monthly chamber music gathering called the Eugene Chamber Flutes. Mindi also played flute, piccolo and alto flute in the Cottage Theater production of Les Miserables, and did a performance of the Cimarosa
Double Flute Concerto with fellow flutist Sarah Campbell and the Riverside Chamber Symphony. More recently, she performed the Saint-Saens duo for flute, clarinet and orchestra with fellow Riverside musician, Connie Gardner.
She teaches from her home studio in Thurston. She has several students currently performing with the Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestra. Her students have also consistently finished in the top three in the district State Solo and Ensemble Competitions. Her students range in age from 10 through adult. Mindi considers her specialty to be young students who have been playing anywhere from a few months to 5 years. “At that age, some individual attention and direction can help a student who is struggling turn into a star musician”.
Mindi teaches at her Springfield flute studio on weekdays. She has openings available most often in the fall, though please check in anytime to see if some space has opened up recently. She is also available as an occasional volunteer for local schools, if band directors need assistance with flute sectionals or for judging auditions.