executivedirector

A native of Japan, Mihoko Watanabe is a Professor of Flute, the Chair of the Entrepreneurial Music Certificate Program, and the Woodwind Area Coordinator at Ball State University. Before joining Ball State, Dr. Watanabe taught at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the University of Windsor, Canada. As an active pedagogue, she travels widely as a clinician, presenting masterclasses throughout the USA, Canada, and Japan. She has adjudicated at international and national music festivals and competitions. In 2005, she taught at the Brevard Music Center summer festival. She has won competitions sponsored by the Japan Flute Association and the National Flute Association (NFA). She has appeared in Japan, Israel, England, Germany, and Canada as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist. She is the principal flute of the Orchestra Indiana and performs with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra. She has appeared at NFA, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flöte e.V. (DGfF e.V.), British Flute Association, International Double Reed Society, International Clarinet Association, American Viola Society, and College Music Society conferences. As a researcher, she published an article, Essence of Mei, from NFA’s Flutist Quarterly in 2008. It has been translated and published in German for DGfG e.V.’s Flöte aktuell, and in Dutch for the Nederlands Fluit Genootschap’s Fluit. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Eastman School of Music, and Musashino Academia Musicae in Japan. As a mindful medication coach, she gives workshops for musicians nationally. More information at www.mihokoflute.com

Critically acclaimed American oboist Lisa Kozenko has performed throughout the world as a concerto soloist, chamber artist and orchestral musician. She has 18 solo oboe and chamber music commissions to her credit. Her solo recording of Doubles by Judith Zaimont was named to Chamber Music America’s Century List of recordings. 

Ms. Kozenko was principal oboist of the New York City Opera National Company and has performed with the New York Philharmonic and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. She has served on the faculty of the Bowdoin International Music Festival and as an adjudicator for the 2017 Carnegie Hall New York China Orchestra and the 70^th Hong Kong Music Festival.

As a member of the Manhattan Wind Quintet, she was a finalist in the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation Chamber Music Competition and prizewinner of the Coleman, Fischoff, Monterey, Yellow Springs, and Chamber Music Chicago competitions. She was a solo prizewinner of the 15th Louise D. McMahon International Music Competition and presented her New York solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall under the auspices of Artist International.

Dr. Kozenko is Associate Professor of Performance Practice (Oboe) at Ball State University and was Assistant Professor of Oboe and Chamber Music at Mannes School of Music at the New School College of the Performing Arts.

Dr. Kozenko is a Lorée performing artist.

Christina Martin is a freelance clarinetist and private instructor in Indianapolis, Indiana.  She received her Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York studying under Kenneth Grant, and her Master of Music in clarinet performance and related literature from Indiana University studying under Eli Eban.  In addition to Orchestra Indiana, she has most recently performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and in various recordings and chamber settings.  Christina and her husband have three boys, and she is also an avid knitter.