NFA News

The NFA is proud to announce that the following young flutists will participate in its Young Artist Mentorship Program (YAMP) for the 2024-25 academic year: Olivia Browdy, Rose Anahita Khorsandi, Daniel Lopez, Noah Pool, Benjamin Rogers, and Samantha White. Over the course of a year, these individuals will be mentored by Alice Jones, Leanna Keith, Kelariz Keshavarz, and Adam W. Sadberry in one-on-one and group meetings as they discuss career goals, networking opportunities, and other skills essential to an arts career. 

"I am very honored and excited to be able to work with this group of mentees,” says Lorin Green, YAMP Coordinator. “Already, their passions and individual uniqueness makes me delighted for the future of music!"

Established in 2021, YAMP pairs college students and recent graduates who identify as belonging to a marginalized cultural group (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, flutists with disabilities, etc.) with professionally established mentors from similar cultural backgrounds. Applications are accepted each semester, and there is no cost to participate. Learn more at nfaonline.org/yamp

Meet the YAMP Class:

Olivia Browdy (she/her) is a flutist, teaching artist, and administrator in Pittsburgh, PA. She holds a master’s degree in arts management from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree in flute performance from the University of Central Florida. She currently serves as Operations Coordinator at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Principal Piccolo of the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra, and co-founded Lullaby Project Pittsburgh. Her primary teachers have been Diana Morgan, Nora Lee Garcia, Colleen Blagov, Jennifer Steele, and Monique Mead. Olivia is passionate about the impact of music in all lives, engaging in songwriting, community engagement, sound healing, and performance to share her unique perspective.

“I heard about this program through NFA newsletters and am excited about for the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and peers who can relate to my position in life. I am looking forward to taking a step closer to my goals and to creating a community with others finding their niche paths where we can support each other.”

Rose Anahita Khorsandi is a performer, educator, flutist, and piccolo player. She has performed extensively in ensembles and as a soloist. She has several years of experience teaching privately and as faculty at various camps and programs. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Rose currently lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. Rose earned an MM from University of Nebraska, Lincoln and a BM from University of Denver, studying with John Bailey and Julie Duncan Thornton. She was a winner of Joanne Khyl Memorial Scholarship Competition and recipient of Donald Walters Miller Fellowship. Rose is currently researching the intersection between Persian music and western classical music with hopes to contribute to this body scholarship. She plans to continue her studies to earn a DMA and teach at the university level, as well as play flute in a professional orchestra. While not playing flute, Rose can be found drinking coffee, reading sappy books, or watching football. 

“When I saw who the mentors are for this year's YAMP I was so excited because I saw aspects of my own identity reflected in people who have found success in the classical music industry. I don't often have that feeling.”

Daniel Lopez is a flutist, composer, and private teacher in the DMV area. Originally from the Chicagoland area, he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Flute Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Flute Performance at the University of Maryland, where he is part of the graduate fellowship wind quintet. His primary teachers include Hideko Amano, Mary Kay Fink, Jessica Sindell, and Dr. Sarah Frisof.

"YAMP is an innovative bridge that connects visionaries of diverse backgrounds in ways  unimagined until now. I'm excited to expand my views of the modern-day flutist and hopefully contribute to the evolution of what it means to be a mindfully creative musician in our day. I heard of YAMP through fellow flutist friends and educators who rave of the brilliant mentors, superstars if you will, that the program provides. “

Noah Pool (he/they) is an Adjunct Instructor of Flute at the Greenwood School of Music at Oklahoma State Univ. Passionate about contemporary music, they’ve enjoyed commissioning works from fellow queer voices. They received their BA from Missouri Southern State Univ. and MM from Oklahoma State Univ.

“I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to connect with successful flutists who are making a difference. Seeing people who share my experiences succeed in the field has been a game-changer for my career and self-esteem. The opportunity for exposure to these role models has been truly life-changing, both personally and professionally!”

Benjamin Rogers is a second-year music student at Colorado State University. He has studied flute for five years in his hometown of Aurora, CO, and has spent the last year in Fort Collins, CO continuing his education as a flute performance major. He is constantly seeking new opportunities to grow and develop as a player as well as connecting with individuals and inspiring individuals to follow their dreams. He has been in multiple All-State groups, acting as first chair in higher-level ensembles such as symphonic band, as well as participated in a variety of masterclasses and competitions through the Colorado Flute Association, which has allowed me to connect with individuals and acquire a variety of different perspectives within the music industry. 

“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to connect with individuals who have a high creative drive as well as being able to learn about the variety of different ways in which I can build a successful career for myself in music. I’ve loved hearing about the NFA from my teachers as a young flutist and I’m so excited to have an opportunity to be able to work with individuals of various backgrounds.”

Samantha White is a NYC based flutist who recently graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, where she earned a master's degree in classical flute. She’s had the privilege of studying under some incredible instructors, including Leone Buyse, Marya Martin, Jonathan Keeble, and Hideko Amano. Samantha's journey has taken her to venues like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as the beautiful Centre Universitaire Méditerranéen in Nice, France. She’s had the honor of working with renowned conductors like Leonard Slatkin and Carlos Miguel Prieto, and with Rob Kapilow on his NPR’s segment "What Makes it Great".  Beyond performing, Samantha is deeply committed to making music accessible to all. She is the currently the Education Manager with the Little Orchestra Society, bringing music composition residencies and chamber performances to underfunded schools and housing facilities across New York City. 

“I'm very excited to meet like-minded artists and advocates and hope to expand on creativity and inspiration on pursuing a meaningful path within our industry!”