Uptown Flutes: The Virtuoso Flute Ensemble

Artist Members of UpTown Flutes

L. Elise Carter, was presented by Artists International at Weill recital hall in Carnegie Hall in Oct. 2005 
and Jan 2007, teaches and freelances in the NY metropolitan area, and is an adjunct flute professor at Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. She is president and co founder of the New Jersey Flute Society, and appears on   a CD/DVD “Into the Next Dimension,” of original music for flute and guitar, and "Waiting for Love" by Gerard and Mary Chiusano, is a composer whose works for solo flute have been published by Falls House Press and Art of Sound Music and premiered by Uptown Flutes. Elise has a BM from University of Wisconsin-Madison. EliseCarter.com

Karen Demsey, MM Eastman School of Music, DMA Rutgers University, is Professor of flute and Music History at William Paterson University of New Jersey. She has published articles on flute pedagogy, and presents clinics and master classes nationally and internationally. She is currently doing research in the US and Europe for an upcoming book on innovative teaching in performance pedagogy. www.wpnj.edu

She recently performed as a soloist throughout China, and as a member of the International Flute Orchestra on tours of Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Her CD, Recollections of the Inland Sea, internationally distributed on Capstone Records, features music for flute and marimba with Greg Giannascoli, including the premiere of a work commissioned for the duo. She has premiered numerous works nationally and internationally. She is Co-Director of the Artists International Award-winning chamber group, UpTown Flutes, and is featured on their three CDs. 

Patricia Lazzara, 2007 Winner of the Florida Flute Association Performers Grant for Advanced 
Study, presently studying with Keith Underwood, 3-time winner of Artists International Chamber Music Competition, 2004 winner of NFA Convention Performers Competition, principal flutist with the Gateway Classical Music Society, and a Twinz Records Recording Artist. Ms. Lazzara is a Miyazawa Flute Artist, CDs for flute and harp “Enchanted Love’ and ‘Celestial Sounds”, flute soloist for Papal visit to Giants Stadium, Executive Director of Music for Life, the Rockland Conservatory of Music and Ackerman's Music Center, and holds the BM from Hartt School of Music. Patricia Lazzara Flutist.

Jeanne Fessenden, holds a BM from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Post Graduate at Trevor Wye’s Studio in Kent, UK and NJ K-12 teaching certificate from William Paterson University. She has adjudicated several NFA High School solo and flute choir competitions and taught general music in public and private elementary school. She founded and currently directs Music Beginnings,an early childhood music enrichment program. Ms Fessenden freelances and maintains a private studio in Chester, NJ.

Marcia Hankle, BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music and MM, Duquesne Univ, extensive performances with the NJ State Opera Orch, Long Island Phil, Queens Sym, St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, Bronx Art Ensemble, Wayne Chamber Orch, NJ Pops, Phoenix Quintet, and Englewinds; has toured with the Broadway Co of “Jesus ChristSuperstar”, the National Ballet of Canada, the Moiseyev Dance Co, the Aspen Festival Orch and Festival of Two Worlds Orchestra Spoleto, Italy. Faculty positions have included Wm Paterson Univ, Riverdale School of Music and Ridgewood Encore Music program. She maintains a private flute studio in Teaneck, NJ.

John McMurtery is section flutist with the New York City Opera Orchestra and Professor of Flute at Western Illinois University. He has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, the Oregon Symphony, and the Detroit Symphony, and records for the NAXOS label. John is a past president of the New York Flute Club and has a DMA from the Juilliard School, a MM from Rutgers U., and a BM from Central Washington U. johnmcmurtery.com

Seth Rosenthal, an Artist Faculty member at Westminster Conservatory Rider Univ, holds the BA degree from Queens College CUNY, graduate work at CCNY and studies at Tanglewood in the Young Artist pro gram via Boston Univ. Seth performs with the Boheme Opera of NJ, Westchester Chamber Orch, UptownFlutes, the Greater Trenton Sym, Orchestra of St. Peter’s by the Sea, and Edison Sym as well as the NJ Sym, Sol Hurok Enterprises (Royal Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Nureyev and Fontaine Gala, etc.), and NYC Opera. His teachers include Julius Baker, Harold Bennett, James Pappoutsakis , John Wion, and Keith Underwood.

Virginia Schulze-Johnson, Ph.D, founder/member UpTown Flutes; founder, Annual NJ Flute Choir Day, and Drew Summer Music; Coordinator of NFA High School Flute Choir Competition from 2006-2009; Member of NFA pro flute choir 2001 and 2002, Member of the International Flute Orchestra, Former professor of flute at Drew University; Teaches at The Hill School in Pottstown, PA. Dr Schulze-Johnson is a Certified STRAUBINGER Flute Technician - VSJFlutes.com - in Berks CO, PA, 484-663-3674.  The Well-Maintained Flute Plays Best   VSJFlutes.com

Rebecca Vega is a professor at Caldwell College, where she teaches flute and music education courses, and conducts the wind ensemble and flute ensemble. She performs with the piano trio, Terzetta. She has a BM from California State University at Long Beach and an MA from Eastern Michigan University.