Biographies for Flute Boost: 2024

Feb. 6, 2024

Laurel Swinden, DMA

Artistic Director

Artist Faculty

Dr. Laurel Swinden enjoys parallel careers as an international performer and pedagogue. She teaches flute at Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Waterloo, the University of Guelph and the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts. She has appeared in concert around the world - in Peru, Argentina, China and the United States as a soloist and as member of the Pan-American Trio and NAFTA Duo. Laurel is the Principal flute of the Stratford Symphony and Associate Principal Flute/Piccolo of the Scarborough Philharmonic and freelances with orchestras around Ontario. She has performed with the Memphis Symphony and New World Symphony. 

Dr. Swinden is sought-after worldwide as a teacher, clinician, and adjudicator. She is a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music College of Examiners. As a member of the Flute New Music Consortium, Laurel co-commissions new works for flute. Her CDs Celebrating Women!and Celebrating Canadian Women! promote works for flute by women composers. Laurel and her spouse Kevin are foster puppy raisers for the Lions' Foundation Dog Gudes of Canada. 

-"Flutist Laurel Swinden has a sweet and distinct tone… Swinden’s lengthy held notes are breathtaking in colour and duration." – The WholeNote

~"full of vibrant colors and virtuosity" – Alice Ho, composer

Visit Laurel's website

Laurel's YouTube Channel

Brielle Frost, DA

Artist Faculty

Dr. Brielle Frost is an Assistant professor of Flute at Lamar University. She has performed and given masterclasses throughout the United States, Peru, Brazil, Italy, Costa Rica & Canada. As an orchestral musician, she is a substitute player with the Symphony of Southeast Texas and has performed with the Valley Symphony Orchestra (TX), Steamboat Symphony Orchestra (CO), Topeka Symphony Orchestra (KS), Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra (TX) and the Colorado Dance Theatre Company (CO). Brielle has been a featured soloist with the Opus Chamber Ensemble (TX) and the Bailey Bach Festival (CO). She is a founding member founding member of the NAFTA Duo, PanAmerican Trio and the Ambrosia Flute Trio and has performed throughout  North and South America.  Dr. Frost actively presents performances, clinics and lectures at conventions of the National Flute Association, Texas Music Educators Association, College Music Society Conference and the American Single Reed Summit. Prior to her appointment at Lamar University, Dr. Frost served on the faculty at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and Western State Colorado University.

Visit Brielle's Website

Alheli Pimienta

Guest Clinician

Born in Mexico, Alhelí Pimienta is an exhilarating performer who uses music to mentor and motivate emerging flutists, addressing issues of racial tolerance, the importance of community, commitment and self-reliance. She directs an academy of 25 award-winning passionate flutists of all ages and levels in her Flute Sprint International Studio. A proud graduate of the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton School of Music, the Glenn Gould of Music, and a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Toronto, Alheli obtained degrees and certifications, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Flute Performance, a Master’s in Music, and an Artist Diploma in Orchestral Performance. Alhelí is also a certified Royal Conservatory of Music flute teacher and an International Yamaha Artist. 

Samadhi Méndez

Guest Clinician

Mexican flutist Samadhi Méndez specializes in children's music pedagogy. She works at the Center for Children's Musical Initiation of the Universidad Veracruzana, where she founded the CIMI-UV Flute Choir and teachers an award-winning private flute studio called "Flauta Viva." Samadhi has commissioned and premiered new music for flute by Latin American composers and has performed as a soloist in the USA and Mexico. 

Several of her students have been winners in national and international music competitions, and her former students now lead successful international performing careers. She has been a guest teacher and clinician at the Mexico City Flute Festival in 2005 and 2009, a guest teacher and performer at the International Flute Festival "La Superior" in Monterrey, Mexico, and a masterclass guest artist at the Flute Sprint International Studio in Toronto, Canada. 

Samadhi recently participated as a teacher and guest performer at the Performance Anxiety Conference at the BUAP (Music Faculty in Puebla, Mexico). Samadhi lives in Coatepec, Veracruz, with her husband and two sons and loves building flute communities which she calls her "flute families." 

Stephanie Mara

Collaborative Piano Faculty

Stephanie Mara received an Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor Degree in Piano Performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, where she studied with Garth Beckett. She is a collaborative pianist and coach for Wilfrid Laurier University, where she works with students majoring in brass, bassoon, clarinet and cello. Stephanie has assisted in master classes with Alain Trudel, Dennis Najoom, James Campbell and Norman Engel and has performed in recital and gala events with Canadian soloists James Campbell, Alistair Kay, Mark Fewer and Jasper Wood. She performs on a regular basis with Guy Few in Canada and the United States. Recording projects include collaborations with flutist Laurel Swinden (Celebrating Women!), a CD of music for flute and piano by women composers and with Guy Few (Vocalise), exploring the instrumental “voice’ of ecstasy through songs without words. Festival and series appearances include the Elora Festival, Festival of the Sound, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Barrie Colours of Music, Quad City Arts and Sun River Festival. Stephanie’s broadcast credits encompass Bravo, CBC radio and NPR.

“dazzling technique” (Huntsville Forester)
“artistry, grace and bravado” (Barrie Examiner)
“Tremendous energy, totally engaging…” (The Audience as Critic – Virtuosi Concerts, Winnipeg)