About Us
Building Community through the Flute
The Flute Association at Florida State University promotes the interest and study of the flute on the FSU campus and in the community, sponsoring recitals, masterclasses, and concerts given by renowned guest artists and members of the FSU Flute Studio. We also promote flute education and instruction in the Tallahassee and the Leon County area.
Mission
To promote music and provide educational opportunities through the hosting of guest artists, fundraising events, and social networking for FSU flute students, local high school students, and members of the surrounding community.
Vision
We aspire to be the primary resource for the promotion and education of the flute. The FA at FSU seeks to educate its members by hosting world-renowned guest artists through financial health and accountability.
Our Team
Meet our Advisor
Dr. Karen Large
Faculty Advisor
Assistant Professor of Flute
Karen McLaughlin Large is Assistant Professor of Flute at the Florida State University College of Music. She is a passionate flutist whose varied musical experiences have included performances as a concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber player, and orchestral flutist and piccoloist. She is principal flutist with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and performs regularly with AGLOW trio, Florida Flute Orchestra, and Traverso Colore: Baroque Flute Ensemble. As a guest artist, she has enjoyed performing and teaching at universities in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
Dr. Large’s research interests include performing classical works inspired by popular genres, flute transcriptions of Romantic music, creation of the world’s first Virtual Flute Choirs, Baroque flute performance practice, and the intersection of music theory and flute performance. In January 2020, she released
her second CD entitled "Wanderlust: The Flute Music of David Amram" on Blue Griffin Records. Her first CD, which featured her original transcriptions is entitled “String to Silver: Flute Transcriptions of Works in the Romantic Tradition.” Dr. Large regularly performs and presents her research at national and international conferences.
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At Florida State University, Dr. Large teaches flute lessons, flute ensemble, low flutes, Baroque flute, and Wind and Percussion Pedagogy. She is passionate about helping students navigate their unique paths in the music world and teaches this through activities in areas such as music entrepreneurship, audition and competition preparation, community outreach, and grant-writing. Dr. Large previously served as Associate Professor of Flute and Music Theory at Kansas State University.
She earned her DM, MM, and BM degrees at Florida State University studying with Eva Amsler, Stephanie Jutt, and Joshua Carter (under Charles Delaney).
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2023-2024 Board of Officers
The officers of the Flute Association at Florida State University collaborate with advisor Dr. Karen Large to bring prestigious guest artists to FSU. Officers assemble the newsletter, raise money for events, create posters, communicate learning opportunities to schools and the Tallahassee community. Additionally, they strive to build a stronger community within the evolving FSU Flute Studio.
Our History
The Flute Association (FA) at FSU was excited to celebrate its 20th anniversary in Spring of 2022! This successful organization was initially founded by students of Professor Charles DeLaney, Flute Professor at FSU from 1976-2000. When Professor Eva Amsler was hired in August of 2001, the FA had been dormant for a few years. In her second semester at FSU, two of her students, Deanna Bertsche-Hamm and Jill Batcheller, came to her office to inform her about the discovery of a locker with “leftovers” from a previous Flute Association. Their inquiry to renew and revitalize the FA@FSU was welcomed by Amsler, who agreed to be their advisor.
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Amsler was thrilled to provide her students with an opportunity to build community and learn about leadership, communication, organization, finances, and outreach. Deanna and Jill decided to serve as President and Treasurer on the FA board, made minor adjustments to old by-laws, and thought of a few ideas for fundraising, kickstarting the new organization.
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Eva Amsler, FSU Flute Professor from 2001-2021
The initial mission statement was to build community and have a willingness to share music. Over the last 20 years, the heart of this mission has remained the same. The experience gained from participating in FA has also proven valuable for many Alumni who went on to form their own Flute Associations and serve in leadership roles in similar associations such as the Florida Flute Association and the National Flute Association.
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The current members of the FA are indebted to the original founders of the club during DeLaney’s time at FSU, to Professor Amsler's great mentorship for the past 20 years, to Deanna and Jill, and to all the past officers who have contributed to bringing the organization to life. The FA@FSU has built a great reputation for itself through hosting Flute Days, multi-day themed Flute Summits (which managed to draw national attention!), masterclasses with guest artists, various social events, and through outreach projects. Overall, the FA's successes demonstrate it aims to serve as large a community as possible and provides great learning experiences for flute students at FSU and in the community.
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The website offers only a small glimpse of all the rich history, activities, guest artists, social events, outreach opportunities, and fundraising events this organization stands for and continues to uphold. The FA's advisor, Dr. Karen Large, and the current board are proud of all the organization has accomplished and are determined to carry on so that the community can continue to thrive and students at FSU and in the Tallahassee community can continue to be served.