Resume
~ PROFILE ~
Respected performer and teacher who has enjoyed an international orchestral, solo and chamber music career as a flutist, and a decade of professorships as a committed educator, during which time she has coordinated a wide variety of arts events.
Community arts expert who has connected with thousands of adults and youth as they have found their creative voices in the programs she leads.
Compassionate mentor dedicated to providing professional development, leadership and entrepreneurial guidance to young adults seeking resonance and impact in their communities, through authentic, sustainable careers that exist at the intersections of their passions and social concerns.
Inspiring facilitator who enthusiastically shares the transferrable skills, gained in her lifelong career as an artist, to diverse groups of youth and adults. These include effective collaboration, clear communication, creative confidence, active listening, and self-knowledge.
Imaginative, in-demand producer/curator committed to programming diverse artists in performances that activate public space and make the arts more accessible.
Experienced writer who has created several travel and arts-related blogs, published numerous non-fiction articles in major magazines and journals, and authored a new novel, The Space in Between, about the healing power of music.
~ PERFORMER EXPERIENCE ~
SOLO
Brandenburg Ensemble: Lincoln Center, NY; Kennedy Center, Boston Symphony Hall, 1990.
National Repertory Orchestra: Mozart, Concerto in C for flute and harp, 1990.
Boston Symphony Orchestra: Boston Symphony Hall, Doppler, Hungarian Fantasy, 1986.ORCHESTRAL
Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony, NZ; American Sinfonietta, WA; Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, MN; Madison Symphony Orchestra, WI; Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra, CBC Radio Orchestra, BC; Heidelberg Opera Orchestra, Germany, 1988-2013.
CHAMBER
Forbidden Flutes, Tours in YK, BC, AZ, CA, OR, BC, FL, TN, 1998-2015.
Painted Sky Music Festival, twelve annual events, AZ, 2002-06.RECITALS
Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, 2012
Acadia University, Wolfsville, NS, 2012
Syrinx Flute Club, Winnipeg, MB, 2009
Danish Flute Society, Copenhagen, DK, 2006
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, NZ, 2005
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 2005
Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL, 2005
National Flute Convention, Nashville, TN, 2004
Felbermeyer Center, Gaschurn, Austria, 2004
Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, PQ, 1995
RECORDINGS
Mandala Records, Take the L Train, Forbidden Flutes duo CD, 2008.
Carl Fischer, Expressive Etudes for the Flute, solo flute CD/book, in 2nd printing, 2003.
Mandala Records, Echoes of a Blue Planet, Flute and Piano, 1999.AWARDS AND HONORS
NAU Intramural Grant Program Award, new faculty grant, 2002.
Max Stern Major McGill Fellowship, two years of graduate study funding, 1993-95.
Flute Talk National Competition, prize winner, 1992
Performer’s Certificate, Eastman School of Music, 1990.
~ EDUCATOR EXPERIENCE~
UNIVERSITY PRIVATE AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
University of Oregon, visiting full-time assistant flute professor, 2007-08.
University of Canterbury, NZ, visiting flute professor, fall 2005.
Northern Arizona University, full-time assistant flute professor, pedagogy professor, 2001-06.
University of Wisconsin at Madison, visiting full-time assistant flute professor, 2000-01, & 1996-97.
McGill University, flute teaching assistant, 1993-95.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORKSHOPS AND ARTIST RESIDENCIES
University of Colorado, 2018
University of Michigan, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, 2017
Eastman School of Music, McGill University, 2016
Dancer Transition Resource Centre, Richmond Artists at Work Conference, BC, 2012
Acadia University, Nova Scotia, 2011
National Flute Association, CA, 2010
Carnegie Mellon University, 2006
University of California, Santa Barbara, Portland Flute Society, 2005
OTHER MUSIC INSTRUCTION
Ngoma Dolce Music Academy, Lusaka, Zambia, 2019
University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, 2014
Memorial University, Newfoundland, 2011
Seattle Young Artists, Seattle, WA, 2009
Rochus Musikschule, Cologne, Germany, 2006
British School, Paris, France, 2006
Univ. of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX, April 2006
Tucson Flute Club, Tucson, AZ, 2005
~ COMMUNITY ARTS EXPERIENCE ~
Instruments of Change, facilitator for Lullaby Project, Street Beats, Binners Symphony, Women Rock, Stick Together, Voice to Voice, 2011-present. See instrumentsofchange.org for detailed project descriptions.
Lullaby Project, Director of Vancouver branch of global Carnegie Hall initiative, 2017-present. See links below, to listen to recordings of lullabies created in our program. Lullabies 2020-23, Lullabies 2017 & 18
Infectious Gratitude, facilitated the creation of 100’s of “urban love letters” at pop-up events, written by community and installed throughout Vancouver as well as on a digital map. @infectiousgratitudeyvr
Binners Symphony, facilitated 2-year commissioing project for collaborative contempory classical performance of James Maxwell’s eight or nine, six or seven with Street Beats found object community band and Music on Main All-Star Band, for the International Society of Contempory Music Conference, hosted in Vancouver, 2017. Watch performance video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPq_tzXHgyY&feature=youtu.be
Voice to Voice, (project conceived by Rena Sharon), facilitated Downtown Eastside writers whose poetic texts about music and transformation were ultimately transformed into classical art song, by 6 UBC composers, and performed by UBC students at both Roy Barnett Recital Hall and St James Church, in the DTES.
ArtStarts Artist in the Classroom Artist Facilitator, Repurpose Our Purpose, music and puppetry, Grade 3 & 6, Simon Fraser Elementary, 2016; Trash Talk Recycled, music and puppetry, South Vancouver Schools, Grade 5/6, 2014; Wonder Room, interdisciplinary project exploring all 5 senses, Richmond’s James Thompson Elementary Grade 5-7, 2014; See http://www.somethingcollective.ca for project details.
Vancouver Biennale Big Ideas Artist Facilitator, Through the Eye of a Needle, music, theatre and textile art, Grade 6/7 Pauline Johnson Elementary, 2016; Spice of Life, creative writing and silk screen printmaking, Grade 6/7 & 10, Squamish Elementary & Howe Sound Secondary, 2014; Water is Life, spoken word and music,Grade 3 & 7 William Bridge Elementary, Richmond, 2013. See Eye of a Needle & Water is Life.
Vancouver Opera Music Champions Program, Different Strokes, songwriting, Queen Alexander Elementary, Grade 2/3; Soundscapes, Cunningham Elementary, Grade 3/4, 2015/16.
Vancouver Public Library (South Hill branch), co-facilitating artist of Alphabet Stories, a text and art installation resulting from arts engagements with youth and ESL adults.
Sunset and Renfrew Community Centres, community mapping projects, Our Footrpint & We Are Here, co-facilitated with Something Collective, working with seniors, pre-schoolers, immigrants, and at-risk youth.~ LEADERSHIP FACILITATION AND MENTORING EXPERIENCE ~
Harm to Harmony,online facilatator/mentor for climate action arts project, New Brunswick-based, 2021-present.
FUTURES:forward, 6-mo mentorship of young artists delivering arts projects addressing climate change, 2020-23.
We Imagine, facilitated numerous corporate, non-profit, and educator clients as consultant, 2017-present.
NOBL, facilitated numerous corporate, non-profit, and educator clients as consultant, 2020-present.
Minerva BC Learn to Lead program, served as group and private mentor for Grade 11 BC girls, 2020.
City of Richmond, Re-Imagine Richmond conference, facilitated design-thinking with 200 employees, 2020.
United Aboriginal Youth Collective, leadership training with Indigenous youth from throughout BC, 2019.
UBC Sauder School, facilitated storytelling workshop for Resident MBA Sauder students, 2019.
Vancouver Community College, TAOT leadership facilitator for graduating Hospitality Management students, 2018.
The Academy of Tomorrow, youth leadership facilitator, Queen Margaret’s School; Mulgrave Academy, 2017/18.
THNK School of Creative Leadership, facilitated arts-infused, social impact workshop to Executive Leaders, 2017.
~ PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE ~
Art Moves, curator of TransLink’s performance series, productng 50+ shows annually throughout various transit spaces, featuring a diverse roster of local, world-class musicians and performance artists, 2022-present.
PlayDates, producer of Vancouver BIA’s interactive summer aworkshops in a variety of artistic mediums, 2023.
Street Beats, produced 20+ free outdoor concerts for the City of Vancouver, downtown and at City Hall, 2018/19.
Instruments of Change Benefit events, produced large interdisciplinary events for 300+ audience members, 2014-20.~ WRITING EXPERIENCE ~
PUBLISHED WRITING
Pique Magazine, Three to Sky, cover story about Type 1 vs 2 fun outdoor adventure, 2023.
Instrumentsofchange.org, as Executive Director, write all website copy, AZ, 2001-present.
Laurabarron.net, write all copy, manage sites, 2008-present.
Squat Birth Magazine, Doula for a Day, article on home birth, 2012.
Voice Male, No Box for That, article on male breast cancer, 2011.
Flagstaff Biopic, Even Band Geeks Can Thrash, article for biking periodical, 2008.
Flute Talk Magazine, Six Keys to an Authentic Career in Music, 2006.
Flute Focus Magazine, Yoga and the Breath, 2006.
Expressive Etudes for the Flute, author of internationally acclaimed pedagogical resource distributed world-wide by Carl Fisher Publications, 2003-present.
ONLINE WRITING
These Adagio Days, blog highlighting artistic responses to quarantine living, https://theseadagiodays.tumblr.com, 2020.
A Dazzle a Day, travelogue of Zamiba artist residency, https://adazzleaday.tumblr.com, 2019.
Ser o Estar, travelogue of Spanish immersion in Guatemalla, https://seroestar.tumblr.com, 2018.
Of Sparks and Wings, travelogue of artist residency in Kaliyampoondi, India, https://ofsparksandwings.tumblr.com, 2017.
Chilled Clarity,travelogue of artist resdiencies in Nepal and rishikesh, India, https://chilledclarity2015-blog.tumblr.com, 2015.
Boogie Pilgrim, travelogue of professional development rip to South Africa, https://boogiepilgrim2014-blog.tumblr.com, 2014.
Sans Souci, 100+ page, round-the-world travelogue, http://laurabarron.net/trip/index.htm, 2006-07.
OTHER
The Space in Between, novel awaiting publication, 2023.
Mother Bear's Journey, theatre piece, co-created with Indigenous artist, Taninli Wright and director, Julie McIsaac, 2019.
Captain Creative, interdisciplinary children’s theatre piece, performed in 30 BC schools, 2014-16.
What Moves Us, interdisciplinary flute/theatre piece, documenting global travels, Canadian tour, 2012.
Oxford University Press, preview editor for The Artistry of Samuel Baron, 2008.
The Ethics of Transcription in Music, doctoral paper, published on laurabarron.net, McGill University, 1994.
Gender Roles as Represented in Various Flute Rituals, masters paper, SUNY Stony Brook, 1991.~ EDUCATION ~
McGill University, Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance, 1996.
Fulbright Scholar, Independent study in Canada, 1995-96.
Banff Centre for the Arts, Long-term residency, Fall 1995.
State University of New York at Stony Brook, Master of Music, 1991.
Eastman School of Music, Bachelor of Music, high distinction, 1990.
Royal Northern College of Music, Transfer student, England, 1987.