Jacob Brown is a flutist from Floyd, Virginia, and is a first-year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He began playing in elementary school and has since then performed in orchestral, chamber, and solo settings. He is particularly passionate about the expressive possibilities of the flute, as well as its role in larger ensembles.

Annabelle Castelda has been playing the flute since sixth grade, falling in love with its elegant tone almost immediately. For the past five years, she has studied under Amy Karnes, who holds a masters degree in music from UNC Greensboro. Annabelle has participated in All County and All District clinics, the UNCG Summer Music Camp in 2024, 2025, and 2026, the UNCG Carolina Festival in 2025 and 2026, and was also a part of the Greensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2025-2026.

Annabelle is one of four, with three younger brothers and a dog named Max. She loves going for hikes at Pilot Mountain in the fall time and playing tennis with her family. For the last two years she has had the amazing opportunity of being a part of the Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School tennis team, taking part in their victory of 1A State Champs in 2024.

While at UNCSA, Annabelle hopes to grow in all areas and is excited to grow in her craft. After high school, she plans on studying abroad for college and hoping to be part of a professional orchestra in Europe.

 

Madeline Earl is a sophomore in high school, who has been playing the flute for 3 years. Starting in a small middle school band, she developed a passion for music and reached out to the UNCSA School of Music. She is now studying in Dr. Coelho’s flute studio and aims to achieve greatness in her career.

Leo Johnson is a first-year college student from northern Virginia. He has previously performed with the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra Flute ensemble under the direction of Dr. Laura Kaufman-Mowry and several local community and semi-professional theatre companies. He studied with his teacher, Rebecca Korc, for 6 years. As a disabled musician, Leo is especially passionate about accessibility in the arts.

At UNCSA, Leo plans to study multiple woodwind instruments, including saxophone, clarinet, and oboe, with dreams of working on Broadway. His main focus in his first year will be building a strong foundation for the work that lies ahead!

Cadence Mercer is a senior in the High School Program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She began playing flute in sixth grade and has continued to grow as a musician ever since. Throughout her musical journey, she has participated in numerous honor bands across North Carolina and most recently attended the North Carolina Governor’s School West for Instrumental Music. She is passionate about continuing to develop her skills as a flutist and looks forward to the opportunities ahead.

Margaret is a native of Washington D.C. and is currently a third year undergraduate student at UNCSA studying Flute Performance with Dr. Tadeu Coelho. She began her more formal musical studies at age 11, but has always had a love for music and the flute. Margaret has been a member of numerous ensembles including the Flute Society of Washington’s Junior Flute Choir at the Mid Atlantic Flute Convention in 2018, the George Mason University Combined High School Flute Choir, Interlochen’s Intermediate Wind Symphony program, as well as performing with the award-winning Cooper Middle School Symphonic Band and the Langley High School Wind Symphony. She also currently performs with numerous ensembles at UNCSA including their Wind Ensemble and flute choir. She’s been a member of the prestigious American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra programs playing in their flute ensemble, concert orchestra, and philharmonic orchestra. Some highlights of her musical career include studying with flutist Dr. Laura Kaufman, during which time she attended master classes including performing at the Eastman School of Music for The Artistic Flutist: Bonita Boyd International Flute Masterclass, participating in Juilliard’s Music Theory and Ear Training college program for high school students, and has participated in music performance workshops at the Music for All festival in Indianapolis and the Virginia Music Educators Association’s conference.

Briana Scardace, is a first-year Master’s student from Spartanburg, South
Carolina. She received her BM in Flute Performance from Converse
University, where she studied under Dr. Chris Vaneman. During her undergraduate career, she won Converse’s annual Young Artist
Competition as a Freshman, performing Georges Hüe’s Fantaisie with the
Converse Symphony Orchestra. She also worked in masterclasses with
renowned flutists such as Demarre McGill, Laurel Zucker, and Greg Pattillo.
To wrap up her time at Converse, Briana was a recipient of the Presser
Scholarship, and had the privilege of performing at her commencement
ceremony as the recipient of the Distinctive Honors in Performance award.
From working as the stage manager & recording engineer of the Petrie
School of Music, to assisting in the foundation of the town's first youth
orchestra– Briana always strived to be an active member of her fine arts
community. She also taught at the Lawson Academy of the Arts through
Converse University, as well as a number of Spartanburg County District 6
schools, supporting a variety of woodwind students grades K-12. Her
teachings are founded in empathy and inclusivity, creating unique
individualized instruction for her students. As she plants new roots here in Winston-Salem, she is eager to foster new artistic relationships and continue pursuing her passion as both a music educator and performer.
Outside the studio– Briana enjoys crocheting, puzzles of all kinds, and cozy nights in with her partner and three cats. She is always looking to expand her capabilities as a musician and ways she can create a positive impact on those around her.

Carter thomas is a sophomore high school student from Charlotte, North Carolina. When he was 8, inspired by his grandmother he decided to start taking private lessons. He went to Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte for middle school which drastically increased his love for playing. Since then he has been in various orchestras around Charlotte.

Evi Toper is a second year undergraduate student from Burlington, North Carolina. She started flute lessons when she was about 10 years old and continued playing solo works throughout middle school and the beginning of high school. The summer before her junior year of high school, she joined her first musical group at Governor’s School West playing in a contemporary orchestra. Since then, she’s been a member of the Elon University Flute Ensemble and continues to play with the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Noah Utech is a senior in the high school program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Coming from Rochester Michigan, he began playing flute in the sixth grade and has continued to play ever since. He has played in multiple orchestras and bands, recently performing in the Michigan Wind Ensemble. He plays other instruments on the side such as bassoon, but he is the most passionate by far about the flute.

Caden Wagner is an undergraduate freshman from Macomb Township, Michigan. It is his first year at UNCSA. He began playing flute in 2022, originally intending to pursue a career in science or healthcare. He has participated in the Civic Youth Ensembles through the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the 2025 Michigan All State High School Full Orchestra, and the 2025 National Flute Association High School Flute Choir. He also enjoys studying the piccolo. Outside of music, he enjoys spending time with family, working at his jobs, and spending time in the nature of Michigan.

Amanda Wiebelt is a flutist who earned her Bachelor of Music in 2025 at the University of Central Florida, studying with Dr. Garcia. During her time at UCF, she performed in multiple different quintets, contemporary groups, and was principal flutist of the UCF Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. During summer breaks, she works at UCF for the Flute and Piccolo Boot Camp as the head counselor. She has attended Music Festivals internationally, including Interharmony in Italy where she performed chamber music and orchestral works. She has performed with the Orlando Philharmonic and as a soloist with Nestor Torres. She has also performed in masterclasses led by Tommaso Benciolini and Nicole Rabata. Currently, she is studying with Dr. Coelho at UNCSA in pursuit of a Masters Degree in flute performance, and is performing in local churches in the Winston-Salem area.