Maria Fernanda Castillo

Assistant Professor of Flute at University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Flutist, musicologist and entrepreneur Maria Fernanda Castillo has been offering intentional and meaningful performances that can contribute to the search for balance in the music world. Assistant Professor of Flute at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville, and co-founder of the Latin American Music Initiative, Maria has found approaches to teaching, research, and performances that not only highlight the importance of standard works in the flute canon but also help the inclusion, awareness and accessibility of works by underrepresented composers.

Hailed by the New York Times as a flutist who performs with “…virtuoso panache,” Maria debuted in New York City with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas in 2008, under Alondra de la Parra. Additionally, in 2009 she had her professional debut as a soloist in Venezuela with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra under Mtro. Carlos Riazuelo. She has also performed as a soloist with the Caracas Municipal Symphony under Mtros. Rodolfo Saglimbeni and her husband, Régulo Stabilito. Her latest collaboration include the performance of Shadow of Sirius for flute and wind ensemble by Joel Puckett with the University of Tennessee Wind Ensemble conducted by John Zastoupil.

Co-founder of the Latin American Music Initiative- LAMI (www.laminitiative.org) with her husband, orchestra conductor Régulo Stabilito, they are committed to advocating for raising awareness of Latin American repertoire. LAMI has allowed them to reach a large community by performing, recording, lecturing and editing Latin American works. Her work with LAMI has allowed her to be part of the 2020-2021 Mellon Public Engagement in the Humanities Fellow. As a musicologist, Maria has created an online flute catalogue with 143 flute works by Venezuelan composers, helping the repertoire be known and accessible for performers all over the world and develop a new approach to flute etude study by contextualizing etudes based on their historical context. In Addition, she is part of a group of 9 Latin American female flutsits to create the largest catalogue of flute works by Latin American composers (https://flautalatinoamerica.com/)

As an orchestral musician, Maria frequently performs with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. She has served as principal flute in orchestras in Venezuela, México and the United States. She was the Associate Principal of the Caracas Municipal Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the Venezuelan Symphony, the Venezuela National Philharmonic, the Miami City Ballet, the New World Symphony, the Sphinx Symphony, the Mazatlán Sinfonietta, the “Sinaloa de las Artes” Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Baton Rouge Symphony, the Acadiana Symphony and the Lake Charles Symphony.

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Maria began her flute studies at nine with Venezuelan flutist Luis Julio Toro. She holds a Bachelors, Specialist, and Doctorate of Music degrees from the University of Michigan as a student of Amy Porter; a Masters of Music from the University of Miami under Christine Nield-Capotee; and a Masters in Latin American Musicology from the Unversidad Central de Venezuela.

Maria currently resides in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she divides her time between her work as an educator, performer and activist; and practicing Ashtanga Yoga or playing golf. 

Alexa Still

Professor of Flute at Oberlin Conservatory

Alexa Still is known internationally for her many recordings, mostly on the Koch International Classics label. A New Zealander, Alexa went to New York for graduate study, winning competitions including the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition, and, East and West Artists Competition. Appointed principal flute of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the age of 23, she also received a Churchill Fellowship and a Fulbright award. In 1998, she joined the faculty at the University of Colorado at Boulder, moved to Sydney in 2006, where she became Professor of Flute and Director of Performance research at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and replaced the renowned Michel Debost at Oberlin Conservatory in 2011. Alexa was a Valade Fellow at Interlochen’s Summer Arts Camp for 8 years. Current regular summer engagements include performing and coaching at the Round Top Festival and Orford Musique (Quebec).

Alexa maintains a busy performance schedule, having presented recitals, concertos and master classes in England, Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Turkey, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, Korea, China, Singapore, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and throughout the United States. Recent notable performances include the Australian and American (at the National Flute Association’s annual convention) premieres of Australian composer Mathew Hindson’s House Music, Corigliano’s Pied Piper Fantasy with the Colorado Music Festival, Albany Symphony and the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and several world premiere performances including Valerie Coleman’s Elegy (based on poet Maya Angelou’s Elegy) for the keynote presentation of the National Flute Association Convention in Chicago. She did the premiere recording of Elliot Carter’s Flute concerto (2013) and her 2014 premiere recording of Hindson’s House Music is now available as a digital download.  SONY’s first release in high definition audio, Coming Home, featuring world premiere recordings of Aaron J Kernis Air in the version for flute and piano, with Tatiana Roitman-Mann, and Michael Fine’s Concierto del Luna with guitarist Jason Vieaux, conductor Philip Mann and Ensemble Bravura, was released on the SONY Korea label in Spring 2022. Alexa’s most recent recording- “WISH” music by Valerie Coleman- was released on the Oberlin label in May.

Of her disc featuring concertos by Corigliano, Chen Yi and Hoover: “Anyone who doubts Still’s dumbfounding technical ability or complete tonal control should hear these… You just won’t hear better-sustained flute playing on disc than this” Fanfare Magazine. Of music for flute and piano with New York-based English pianist Stephen Gosling: “Both performers are constantly praised for their technical prowess and amazing ability to make the most challenging works sound effortless and easy. Reviewers far and wide agree that Alexa Still doesn’t make anything sound tough. She gracefully sprints and hurdles through menacing challenges without seeming to break a sweat. Added to this technical superiority comes an equally superior sensitive musical side. This disc isn’t just flautistic fireworks.” Sequenza21. Of her 15^th solo disc, of Venezuelan Efrain Amaya’s music (mostly premieres): “Still showcases her exquisite lyricism and virtuosity on every track” Cleveland Classical.

Alexa has served her profession as President of the National Flute Association (USA), and has contributed articles to flute journals across the globe. She plays a silver flute made for her by Brannen Brothers of Boston with gold or wooden headjoints by Sanford Drelinger of White Plains, New York. When her flute is in its case, Alexa is an avid motorcyclist. You can read much more about Alexa on her website: https://www.alexastill.com/

Jill Bartine

2nd flute at Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

Jill Bartine has been a teacher for more than half her life. As a classically-trained flutist who performs with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, her first outlet for her teaching passion was music, and she was thrilled to add yoga to her teaching repertoire after completing her 200-hour RYT certification in August 2011.  She also holds a Bachelor of Music in flute performance from Northwestern University and a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee.

Professional musical performance employs controlled breath, body awareness, energy, creativity, rhythmic flow, and harmony — all qualities of a successful yoga practice.  Jill draws upon these elements in her classes, helping her students to feel in tune with their bodies and spirit, and those around them. 

Devan Jaquez

Principal Flute at Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

Devan Jaquez is a graduate of the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles where he received a Master of Music Degree in 2019 studying with Jim Walker. He received his Bachelor’s Degree of Art in Music Performance in the spring of 2017 from UCLA where he also received the Presser Scholar Award and studied with Sheridon Stokes.

While in Los Angeles, Devan worked as a freelance musician and premiered works by Esa-Pekka Salonen and William Kraft, among others. He appeared in recital with revered oboe soloist and orchestral musician Ramón Ortega Quero while he was principal oboist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the Colburn Chamber Music Society 2018-2019 season. Devan Jaquez was a finalist in the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Competition. He was a 2020 instrumental fellow of the Music Academy of the West (MAW) and was a winner of the Keston MAX Competition. Devan was also selected to play in the 2020 Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra. He was part of the inaugural fellowship program at the Classical Tahoe Academy in the summer of 2021. He has played in the American Institute of Music, Graz Orchestra in Graz, Austria in 2019; the 2018 National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) in Breckenridge, Colorado; and was the 3rd Prize winner of the 2018 San Diego Flute Guild Young Artist Competition. He won the UCLA All-Star Concerto competition and appeared as a soloist with the UCLA Philharmonia Orchestra in their 2015-2016 season.

Devan has a passion for new music and amplifying underrepresented voices in the classical field. One of his favorite projects was working on the Queer Covid Quarantine Commission Project, his flagship album, sponsored by the Music Academy of the West. He commissioned and recorded three new works for solo flute which debuted in March of 2021. 

In addition to being an avid performer, Devan also enjoys teaching music and has served on faculty for the Jumpstart Young Musicians’ Program at the Colburn School and Soriel Music Academy in Los Angeles, CA. He keeps an active private studio and offers lessons both online and in person.