NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s School of Creative and Performing Arts will host the Third Annual NSU Flute Festival on Sunday, March 1 in Magale Recital Hall.
Assistant Professor of Flute Dr. Stephen Clark began the festival when he joined Northwestern’s faculty in the 2023-24 academic year and has annually brought world class flutists to collaborate with participants. This year’s festival is a special collaboration between the NSU Flute Festival and the Louisiana Flute Society. Support is provided by the NSU School of Creative and Performing Arts.
The featured guest artist is Demarre McGill, principal flute of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, an international soloist who performs recitals and concertos around the globe. McGill has gained international recognition as one of today’s most compelling flutists, celebrated for his lyrical expressiveness and technical prowess. A recipient of both the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, McGill has appeared as a soloist with many of the nation’s leading orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the San Francisco, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Grant Park, San Diego, Chicago, and Baltimore symphony orchestras. His captivating performances have earned him critical acclaim and a distinguished place in the world of classical music.
“I am incredibly happy to have Demarre McGill come to visit us for a few days to teach and play for my students and the visitors joining us from across the country for our third Annual Flute Festival,” said Clark.
On Saturday, Northwestern will host the inaugural Intercollegiate Flute Choir of Louisiana. This new ensemble, founded and directed by Clark, will be made up of flute students from eight universities throughout Louisiana who will participate in a day of rehearsals and recording in Magale Recital Hall.
Clark said Northwestern’s flute studio has grown by 400 percent over the past three years and has received a record number of applicants for the Fall 2026 semester.
Outside the flute festival, world class guest artists work with NSU students including annual classes with Sir James Galway, the world’s most famous flute player, soloist, recording artist and former principal flute of the Berlin Philharmonic, Mark Sparks, principal of the St. Louis Symphony; Peter Verhoyen, principal with the Antwerp Symphony, and Ji Weon Ryu, principal with the Louisiana Philharmonic. Other guest artists who have worked with NSU students are Zach Galatis, principal with the Oregon Symphony; Thomas Tavares, Orchestre de Chambre Paris, and Giovanni Perez, Latin Grammy nominee.
“This festival is such a special and unique opportunity for flutists from across the South and beyond to come together and learn from Demarre McGill and the top players in the state,” said Tucker Uebersax, a Master of Music student, Clark’s graduate assistant and assistant flute festival director. “Stephen and I have worked hard for months to ensure that this festival is incredibly special and rewarding for participants and our guest artists. The NSU Flute Studio works hard to ensure that we have some of the greatest events in the country.”
According to Clark, during his time at NSU all students receiving undergraduate degrees in the flute studio have all received multiple offers for full scholarships at universities across the United States. Last summer, the NSU Flute Studio was invited to perform in the main program at the National Flute Convention.
“I am really proud of what the NSU Flute Studio has grown to become in the past three years and especially proud of my students, their willingness to learn, their successes and the fun, hardworking and exciting community that we have built together.” said Clark.
For more information on the Flute Festival, go to nsuflutefest.com