MWFF Faculty

Guest Artist


Dr. Erika Boysen

Flutist and pedagogue, Erika Boysen, is a leading innovator within interdisciplinary performance. Particularly known for her uniquely evocative collaborations including movement, singing and acting, Boysen uses these forms of creative expression both in performance and as a method for teaching artistic concepts. For her demonstrative expertise and virtuosic performance, she has been invited to Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, and to over a dozen US states to perform in recitals, teach master classes, and lead creative workshops

Active on all fronts, recent highlights include: solo and chamber performances in Shanghai, China, guest artist appearances at the Flutes by the Sea Workshop in California, and Anatomy of Sound Workshop in Michigan.  Additionally, Boysen recently released the video mobile app, Moving Sound, that features newly commissioned solo works for the singing, speaking, moving flutist by composers: David Biedenbender, Mark Engebretson, and Jane Rigler.  The app, available for download on apple and android devices, includes a moving score, interviews with composers and behind-the-scenes footage from the recording process.

 Whenever possible, Dr. Boysen believes in combining the power of music, movement, and theater to create.  To this end, she has performed theatrically inclined work by composer Kate Soper, fully choreographed interpretations of existing work from composers such as Toru Takemitsu, and entirely new works from composers such as Jane Rigler. In combination with performances in multiple years of the National Flute Association Convention, these highlights have earned Boysen international recognition, including features on The Flute View and Flute Talk and requests to conduct workshops and masterclasses in universities and festivals across the world.

As a “seated” performer, Erika also takes the stage frequently as a chamber musician. Though she regularly performs in a number of chamber ensembles, most decorated has been her role in the Four Corners Ensemble (4CE), a sextet of flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano dedicated to international collaboration. Recent 4CE performances have included recitals in Carnegie Hall, Shanghai Conservatory, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, and at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland, where Boysen premiered flute concerto The Dryad by composer Shuying Li.  Other previous and forthcoming performances with chamber groups include the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, Seen/Heard Trio, and COLLAPSS.

In addition to her primary position as Associate Professor of Flute at UNCG, Boysen has had other faculty positions of note. She served on the faculty of Interlochen’s Arts Camp and Arts Academy as well as the Atlantic Music Festival in Maine.

 A native of Iowa, Erika Boysen is based in Greensboro, North Carolina. She received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan, where her dissertation recitals featured collaborations with spoken word, dance, and visual art. Further education comes from the New England Conservatory and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She is grateful to her former teachers, who include Amy Porter, Paula Robison, Dr. Tadeu Coelho, Dr. Kimberly Helton, and Mark Sparks.


Program Director

Katrina Young

Katrina Young is a celebrated Suzuki Flute Teacher who specializes in teaching the very Young Flutist and has operated her own private flute studio for over 30 years. She is a certified elementary and early childhood music educator who has taught in the classroom as an Elementary Music Teacher. Her expertise goes beyond the classroom as well; Katrina has organized and designed several large-scale creative Flute Institutes, Workshops, Concerts, and Recitals for the Suzuki Association of Utah. In 2022 she served as the director for the debut of MountainWest FluteFest, a regional Institute for students in the Western United States. She has volunteered on the boards for both the SAU and the Utah Flute Association, and in 2015 she received the SAU Distinguished Service Award for her passion to create these educational events for flute students in Utah. 

Katrina’s focus on excellence, musicality, and joy are evident in the success of her amazing students. Students in the Young Flutists Studio have placed nationally in MTNA, routinely win State and Region competitions, receive college Flute scholarships, have been featured on Concerto Nights, been selected as Sterling Scholars, and win auditions to play in local youth symphonies.  The Young Flutists Studio was featured in a performance with The One Voice Children’s Choir on Temple Square in The Holy Child (a Christmas production performed in the Tabernacle on Temple Square), at The National Flute Convention in SLC, and often collaborates with instruments from other music studios, including the harp.  Katrina resides and teaches in Stansbury Park, Utah.


Faculty

MWFF Collaborative Pianist
Dr. Mitchell Giambalvo

Dr. Mitchell Giambalvo moved to Salt Lake City on a whim right before the pandemic. Originally from Pennsylvania, he received his doctorate from Florida State University in piano performance. After his doctorate he went back to complete a second Masters degree in collaborative piano. Following his second masters, Dr. Giambalvo was an adjunct professor of piano at Troy University in Alabama. After moving to SLC in 2019, Giambalvo has become highly active in collaborating. On staff at the University of Utah where he is the pianist for the graduate vocal quartet, Giambalvo is also a freelance vocal diction coach for singers and works with instrumentalists. Fulfilling a life goal, Giambalvo is also a substitute pianist with the Utah Symphony. Giambalvo performs regularly with faculty at UVU, BYU,  and U of U, as well as on the NOVA Chamber Series. He is on faculty of the Red Lodge Music Festival in Montana during the Summer and will be a pianist for the International Trombone Festival this Summer, held at the University of Utah. 


Anna Lisa Davidson

Anna Lisa Davidson, BM USU, is an active flute teacher, adjudicator, and performer in Cache Valley. She plays flutes, piccolo, traverso, and recorders with Music Theatre West, Northern Utah Symphony, American Festival Orchestra, USU Alumni Band, Cache Symphony Orchestra, and the early music group, “The Food of Love.” She is currently working toward a Master of Business Administration and has a black belt in Kyuki-do.


Dr. Jeiran Hasan

International prize-winning flutist, Dr. Jeiran Hasan leads a multi-faceted career as a collaborator, educator, and soloist. Hasan maintains an active schedule as a guest artist,
performer, clinician, and adjudicator with events around the globe. She serves as the Assistant Professor of Flute at Utah State University and also the Vice President of the Utah
Flute Association.

Additionally, she has been a prizewinner or finalist in over 20 international and national competitions including the Young Artist and Orchestral Audition and Masterclass competitions of the National Flute Association (NFA), and the Young Artist competitions of numerous flute societies in the U.S. In 2019, Hasan gave the U.S. premiere of Anze Rozman’s “Phoenix for Flute and Orchestra” with the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

As a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee through the NFA, she is the co-founder and mentor of the Young Artist Mentorship Program, which serves to provide additional career opportunities for traditionally marginalized flute students. She also serves on the Myrna Brown International Scholarship and Cultural Liaison Committees. A champion of promoting Azerbaijani classical music in the U.S., she is currently commissioning and premiering numerous works for flute by female Azerbaijani composers. Hasan is an alumna of the U.S. State Department’s Critical Language Scholarship Program and serves as the musical contributor of “Caspian Vibes,” an Azerbaijani-American publication.

Dr. Hasan is a LefreQue Sound Bridge performing artist and holds degrees from the University of Iowa (D.M.A.) and the Cleveland Institute of Music (MM and BM). Please visit www.j-hasan.com for more information.


Dr. Tia Jaynes

Tia Jaynes was born on an Army base in Landstuhl, Germany, but grew up in Salem, Oregon. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Pacific, her Master of Arts degree at the University of Iowa, and her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Flute Performance at the University of Utah. 

Utah. She has performed with several ensembles, including the Ottumwa Symphony, Oskaloosa Symphony, Salt Lake Choral Artists, and Salt Lake Symphony. She has appeared as a soloist with the Taylorsville Symphony, American West Symphony, Paradigm Chamber Orchestra, and the 2010 international broadcast of the General Women’s Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She won the Utah Flute Association Concerto Competition in 2005 and 2007, and the National Flute Association’s Convention Performer’s Competition in 2020. In October of 2019, she was honored to travel to Riesa, Germany, as part of a delegation from Sandy, Utah to celebrate Riesa’s 900th anniversary. While she was there, she performed in a gala concert in the flute section of the Elbland Philharmonie Sachsen. She has served the Utah Flute Association as a Vice President, President, and currently as Treasurer. Current positions include the American West Symphony, the Paradigm Chamber Orchestra, Beautiful Dreamer Trio, and Kairo By Night, an Egyptian cabaret ensemble. Tia freelances, teaches flute lessons and general education music classes at Salt Lake Community College, and maintains a private flute studio. She enjoys reading, taking naps, traveling, and exploring national parks with her husband and three children.


Dr. Nadine Luke

Dr. Nadine Luke is a full-time faculty member in the Brigham Young University–Idaho Department of Music where she instructs the flute studio and courses in music history and chamber music.

An award-winning flutist, Nadine has performed throughout the United States, including performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and as a guest artist at Salt Lake City’s Temple Square Concert Series. She has been a featured soloist with the Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra, BYU–Idaho Symphony Orchestra, BYU–Idaho Symphony Band, University of Utah Philharmonia, and Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra.

Nadine performs regularly in solo and chamber recitals, and is the flutist of the Prismatic Winds. For the 2021–22 season, she is Acting Principal Flute of the Idaho Falls Symphony. A dedicated and enthusiastic educator, Nadine was honored with the BYU–Idaho Exemplary Faculty Award in 2012. She has instructed classes at Arizona State University and the University of Utah and presented masterclasses and recitals at Southern Utah University, Brigham Young University, Snow College, the Salt Lake Flute Forum, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the National Flute Association Convention.

Nadine completed a Bachelor of Music at Brigham Young University (cum laude), a Master of Music at Arizona State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Utah. She has performed at masterclasses for Emmanuel Pahud, Amy Porter, Tadeu Coelho, Rachel Brown, and Leone Buyse. Her principal teachers include April Clayton, Elizabeth Buck, and Lisa Byrnes. When she isn’t playing the flute, Nadine enjoys gardening, reading, cooking, and cross-country skiing with her family.


Brittni McDonald

Brittni McDonald is from Salt Lake City, Utah. Her undergraduate degree is from University of Utah, where she studied with Caitlyn Valovick-Moore and Lisa Byrnes. She loved playing in the ensembles at the U, especially playing the low flutes in the flute choir! She then went on to earn her Master’s degree at University of Wyoming studying with Dr. Nicole Riner. The flute studio taught her a lot there, specifically teaching the non-major lessons as the graduate assistant. She currently teaches locally in Murray. In her spare time, Brittni loves reading, knitting, dog-sitting, and thrift shopping!


Caitlyn Valovick Moore

Caitlyn Valovick Moore joined the Utah Symphony as Piccolo/Utility Flute in 2008, and served as Acting Associate Principal Flute during the 2011-2012 and 2014-2015 seasons. She also performs with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, is on the faculty at the University of Utah as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Flute, and is an Altus Artist.

In addition, she performs chamber music with the Nova Chamber Music Series, the faculty recital series at the University of Utah, Sundays@7, and Intermezzo Chamber Music Series. Prior to her Utah Symphony appointment, Caitlyn was a member of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and was a prizewinner in the National Flute Association’s Piccolo Artist Competition. A native of northern Michigan, Caitlyn attended her final two years of high school at Interlochen Arts Academy and went on to receive her Bachelor of Music degree from DePaul University, and her Master of Music degree from Northwestern University. Caitlyn’s primary teachers were Mary Stolper, Walfrid Kujala, and Stephanie Mortimore. Caitlyn enjoys cooking and discovering new restaurants with her husband, Craig, and getting out to experience the beauty of Salt Lake City while hiking and cycling, or taking their Labrador Retriever, Heidi, for walks.


Alison Hazen Olsen

Alison Hazen Olsen is the principal flute of the Ballet West Orchestra, a position she has held since 2016. A native of Ogden, UT, she has a bachelor’s degree in flute performance from the University of California-Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree in flute performance from the University of Texas Austin. Alison has been a first prize winner of the MTNA national woodwind competition, a first prize winner of the National Federation of Music Clubs national competition, and first prize winner of the PASF annual competition in Santa Barbara, California. She has been featured as a soloist with the Austin Symphonic Band, Salt Lake Symphony, and Utah Symphony. 

She has also been featured as a featured local artist by the Utah Flute Association and has performed with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Salt Lake Symphony. In addition to teaching and performing, Alison loves spending time with her husband and three boys.


Nancy Toone

Flutist, Nancy Toone, is an active teacher and performer. She has been an adjunct flute instructor at Utah Valley University, Utah State University, BYU-Idaho and Weber State University. She is a member of the Orchestra at Temple Square and is the Assistant Principal Flutist in the Salt Lake Symphony.

Nancy maintains a large private studio. Her students have won local, State and National awards and can be found teaching at Universities, and in the flute sections of major Symphony orchestras.


Meet MWFF CCC’s!

(College Camp Counselors)


Nick Anderson

Nick Anderson is a flute performance major at the University of Utah. He is currently studying with Lisa Byrnes, and is a member of the Runnin’ Flutes, the Utah Wind Ensemble, and the Pride of Utah Marching Band. He has been the piccolo section leader for the Marching Utes for 3 years. In high school he was a two-time piccolo in the Utah All-State Orchestra and received multiple superior ratings in state Solo and Ensemble Festivals for both solo and duet performances.


Emma Blake

Emma Blake is from Salt Lake City, Utah. She is currently studying at the University of Utah pursuing an undergraduate degree in flute performance. She has studied with Caitlyn Valovick-Moore and will study with Lisa Byrnes as a senior this upcoming Fall. She enjoys playing in ensembles at the U including the Runnin Fl’Utes. Additionally, she is a double major in International Studies. In her free time, she loves to read, be outside, try new foods, and watch movies!


Hailey Dalton

I’m Hailey Dalton and I’m a music education major at BYU! I’ve been playing the flute for eleven years and specialize in piccolo, participating in the Symphony Orchestra at BYU. I teach flute and violin lessons with a focus on musical creativity!


Anna Johnson

Anna Johnson is an enthusiastic flutist who loves to collaborate with others through teaching and performance. She is currently studying Music Education at Utah State University and has performed on flute and piccolo in various ensembles at USU, including the Wind Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Caine Woodwind Quintet, Flute Ensemble, and the Aggie Marching Band. In March of 2023, she won the Utah Flute Association Sonata Competition in the collegiate division and performed in the Winners’ Recital.

In her six semesters as the flutist for the scholarship Caine Woodwind Quintet, she has performed in many masterclasses with notable musicians, including the Imani Winds, the American Brass Quintet, and Gabriel Kovach. Anna has had the opportunity to perform as a soloist in masterclasses with prominent flutists such as Dr. Emlyn Johnson, Dr. Lindsay Leach-Sparks, Drew Powell, and Dr. Nicole Riner. In Anna’s time at USU, she has studied flute with Leslie Timmons, Brook Ferguson, and Dr. Jeiran Hasan. Anna anticipates graduating with a degree in Music Education in May of 2024.


Meila Morrison

Melia Morrison is a flute performance major at Weber State University where she studies with Cindy Henderson, adjunct professor of flute. She loves playing in Weber State’s performance ensembles, including its flute ensemble, symphony orchestra, symphonic band, marching band, and pep band. In her free time, Melia enjoys traveling with her family. In August 2022, she enjoyed performing a flute duet with her mom, Natalie Morrison, at the Mariahilfer Church in Vienna, Austria.


Kaitlyn Ritter

I’m currently studying flute performance at BYU and plan to graduate next year. While at BYU I’ve been principal chair in the Wind Symphony and co-principal chair in the Philharmonic orchestra. I’ve also won first place in the Dixie State Woodwind competition. My senior year of high school, I made principal chair in the Utah All-State band and was also principal chair in the American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic Symphony and the American Fork High School Wind Symphony. I also teach private lessons of all ages.


Briaunna Young

Briaunna Young is a flute performance undergrad student of Dr. Hasan’s at USU. Some flute highlights of hers include being National Third-Place Winner in the 2019 MTNA competition, 11 time UFA Sonata Comp winner, soloing with the One Voice Children’s Choir at Temple Square, and winning her 75 point Federation Gold Cup.