Brenna Wiinanen, flutist, is an active performer, teacher, and researcher whose experiences have led to numerous masterclasses, performances, and conferences around the world.

Wiinanen holds a Doctor of Music in Flute Performance from Florida State University (FSU), with additional specialized studies in College Teaching and Arts Administration. Her published treatise, “The Flutist’s Guide to Opera Fantasies” serves as a reference work for flutists by suggesting a proposed process for analyzing and performing opera fantasies and cataloging known and lost opera fantasies written for the flute. While at FSU, Wiinanen served as a teaching assistant for the flute studio, where she taught applied flute lessons, flute choir, studio class, woodwind methods, introduction to Baroque flute, and undergraduate chamber ensembles.

She received her Bachelor of Arts degree (Music Performance) from Coastal Carolina University, where she graduated as the Outstanding Senior in the Music Department, with Honors, and Summa Cum Laude. She also holds a Master in Music with a dual concentration in Musicology and Performance from the University of Kansas (KU). Her published thesis titled “The National Flute Association’s Twentieth Anniversary Anthology of American Flute Music and the Development of American Compositional Style in the Twentieth Century,” explores how the conception and formation process of The Anthology influenced its reception and relevance today.

Wiinanen currently serves as Principal Flute for the Panama City Symphony Orchestra, plays with the Fountain Five Woodwind Quintet, and subs for numerous other regional orchestras. She is also Communications and Education Coordinator for Wintergreen Music, teaches applied flute at Southern Adventist University, and runs a thriving private studio in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Wiinanen enjoys seeking new opportunities for development in performance, teaching, and researching. Her primary teachers include Amy Hardison Tully, Daniel Velasco, Mary Matthews, and Karen Large.

https://brennawiinanen.com/