NEWS!
10/10/11: Quick gig coming up with the Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra - doing Sibelius 3, Elgar Cello Concerto, Mahler and Butterworth. Concerts on 10/14 and 10/16, check the website for details! Had a magical recital at MTSU in September with Lillian Pearson and Deanna Little, and gave two inspiring classes at MTSU and Murray State University. Thanks to Stephanie Rea and Deanna for hosting me. Fall brings ten long weeks of books, books, books, but this is my last term of official coursework! After this, exams and research and a final recital, scheduled tentatively for May.. Stay tuned!
8/31/11: Good reviews of the EOC/Classical Revolution PDX show.. "Flutist Celine Thackston’s breathless version of Ian Clarke’s exercise in extended techniques, “Zoom Tube,” would have impressed Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson." - Brett Campbell, Oregon Arts Watch
8/24/11: My trip to Cornish College in July was the highlight of my summer. I enjoyed teaching a workshop on creative musicianship and comedic improv during Robert Dick's residency - the students were wonderful participants, so enthusiastic, and I hope they had as much fun as I did! It was lovely to see Robert, who is a constant inspiration to me. I am grateful for his friendship and his generosity. Thanks also to Paul Taub for hosting me, and for putting together a great class! If you're in the area next year, I encourage you to attend!
Other big happenings this summer: I performed with Portland Summerfest Opera in their production of Bizet's Carmen, which was a blast, and had a great time teaching UO's summer music camp. I had a great time at the most recent Classical Revolution PDX/Electric Opera Company show, and Leeann Davis and I put the finishing touches (well, she did all of the tricky production work!) on our float music for PDX company Float On. You can listen here. The track is called kelpforest. Top it off with a trip to NFA in Charlotte, a few big hiking trips, a session of summer courses, and an extended visit home to Nashville, and you have a full summer!
Fall happenings: I will teach a masterclass at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, on September 7th, from 2:30-3:20 PM. I'll also be giving a masterclass at MTSU on 9/6, will give a recital at MTSU on the 9th at 6 PM, in Hinton Hall. I will be teaching lessons as well, and have a few spots open. Please contact me for more details!
I'm looking forward to starting the school year at UO - my last year of schoolwork! - and working with new private students as well as my wonderful continuing group of young flutists. In 2011, I saw students who started with me in junior high graduating from high school, and a couple who started with me in high school graduating from college. Bittersweet, but wonderful to see them move on to new things in life. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to know them, and to work with them.
I have joined the Board of Directors for Classical Revolution PDX, and am so excited to help them organize as a non-profit organization (we're all learning a lot!) I've also taken on the role of Development Manager for Opera Theater Oregon, an organization that is near and dear to my heart. Busy times!
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An article that I wrote on the link between comedy improv and creative musicianship will be published in the May/June 2011 issue of Flute Talk Magazine. Please keep an eye out for that!
I've put together a YouTube channel featuring some of my recordings.
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Celine Thackston is a flutist and educator, newly based in Salem/Eugene, Oregon. Welcome to her lovely yellow website! Celine began work as a doctoral student at the University of Oregon in the Fall of 2009 and is currently a Graduate Teaching Fellow in the School of Music. She is formerly an adjunct instructor of flute and general music at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Instructor of Flute at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She has maintained a competitive, robust private studio since 2005.
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celine.thackston @ gmail.com