Northern California Flute Camp
Dates for NCFC 2027:  Wednesday July 7, 2027 - Friday July 16, 2027

Greg Milliren joined the Minnesota Orchestra as Associate Principal Flute in 2009. He has performed as guest principal flute with the Dallas Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Seattle Symphony. Additionally, he has performed with the major orchestras of Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, National, Colorado and Jacksonville. He performed with the Russian National Orchestra during their tour to Minnesota, with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, and the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston. He performs regularly with the Lakes Area Music Festival and recently with the Arizona Music Festival.

Milliren has performed on the Orchestra’s chamber music series many times and with chamber music groups across the Twin Cities. He has also played at the Music in the Vineyards chamber music festival in Napa, CA. While based in Los Angeles, he was a producer and performer for numerous concerts with The Definiens Project, a group which brought fun and inventive contemporary chamber music to diverse audiences in relaxed and accessible settings. He performed Christopher Rouse’s Flute Concerto in 2012 with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and has been a featured soloist with several other community orchestras in the Twin Cities.

As an educator, Milliren is in demand locally and nationally as a teacher and audition coach. He has given performances and masterclasses at the University of Southern California, the Colburn School, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Idyllwild Arts Academy, St. Olaf College, Iowa State University, the University of Wisconsin Madison, the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities & Duluth, and the MacPhail Center for Music. His students have won local competitions and have gone on to their own careers in music. He has performed many times for pre-school and Kindergarten audiences at Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra's KinderKonzerts series. He is also a frequent volunteer with the Minnesota Orchestra’s many internal working committees.

Growing up in the Milwaukee area, Milliren began studying piano as a six-year-old and picked up the flute at age 10. His experiences with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony nurtured a love of symphonic music and set him on the path to music as a profession. He first performed with the Minnesota Orchestra as a substitute musician while earning his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota. He subsequently completed a master’s degree at the University of Southern California, not realizing at the time he would end up back in Minnesota a few years later. He credits his many music teachers, mentors and parents for helping him succeed.

Milliren and his husband live in St. Louis Park with their rescue pit bull, Sadie. A Haynes Artist, Greg plays on a 14K gold Wm. S. Haynes flute and a Keefe piccolo.

Aaron Goldman was appointed principal flute of the National Symphony Orchestra by Christoph Eschenbach in January 2013. An active soloist, he has performed throughout the US and made his NSO concerto debut with Maestro Eschenbach in 2014.

Goldman joined the NSO as assistant principal flute in 2006. Prior to joining the NSO, he was principal flute of the Orlando Philharmonic and began his orchestral career as acting principal flute of the Greater Lansing Symphony for the 1999-2000 season.

Aside from his appearances with the NSO, Goldman has performed concertos with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Virginia Chamber Orchestra, Arlington Philharmonic, Orlando Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Florida, and has performed at several National Flute Association annual conventions. He appears as part of the Kennedy Center Chamber Players, KC Jukebox, and has performed with the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, the National Chamber Players, the 21st Century Consort, the Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra, and participated in many educational programs with the NSO, including performances in the Family and Terrace Theaters.

Goldman appears regularly as guest artist at universities and flute festivals and has taught at the New World Symphony, the National Orchestral Institute, the National Youth Orchestra, the Master Players Festival, and the NSO’s Summer Music Institute. He has given lectures at the Carnegie Institute and the Smithsonian Institution with programs such as “The Magical Flute” and “Math and Music: Closer Than You Think” alongside former NSO cellist Yvonne Caruthers.

Goldman received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Bonita Boyd.

Alexa Still is known for her distinctive performances and a rich discography. Originally from New Zealand, Alexa won competitions including the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition and the East and West Artists Competition while doing graduate studies.

At age 23, while completing a DMA at SUNY Stony Brook, she won the position of Principal Flute of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Further honors include the Churchill Fellowship and a Fulbright award, which encouraged a focus on pedagogy. Alexa eventually joined the Oberlin Conservatory in 2011where she has received the award for teaching excellence and the NEA professorship. During the summer, regular engagements include the Round Top Festival (Texas), Orford Musique (Quebec) and Aria Academy.

Performance highlights include notable premieres in Australasia and the U.S., as well as solo engagements with organizations like the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Colorado Music Festival, the Albany Symphony, the Long Island Philharmonic, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, every orchestra in New Zealand, the Takacs Quartet, and the percussion ensemble Nexus. Alexa won The American Prize 2024 for Instrumental Performance.

Alexa's discography boasts over 20 highly acclaimed CDs. Reviews from esteemed publications include Fanfare Magazine: "Still creates a rainbow of colors within the range we might call 'beautiful'. You just won't hear better-sustained flute playing than this, or more subtle, characterful phrasing: real, warm, communicative musicality.", Sequenza 21: "Reviewers far and wide agree that Alexa Still doesn’t make anything sound tough. She gracefully sprints and hurdles through menacing challenges without seeming to break a sweat. Added to this technical superiority comes an equally sensitive musical side.”, and Gramophone Magazine: "Whatever she plays sounds musical in every turn of the phrase....”

Recent world premiere recordings include her recording of Mathew Hindson’s House Music, now available as a digital download, SONY Korea's inaugural release in high-definition audio (2022), "Finding Home," showcasing Michael Fine’s Concierto Del Luna with Ensemble Bravura and guitarist Jason Vieaux, and Aaron J Kernis’ Air, and Alexa's latest solo disc including five premieres, "WISH," featuring music by Valerie Coleman, with pianist Evan Hines and spoken word by Carmen Twillie Ambar. “WISH” was released on the Oberlin label in 2023.

Alexa has contributed to her profession serving as the President of the National Flute Association (USA) and authoring articles for flute publications worldwide. She performs on a silver flute by Brannen Brothers of Boston, complemented by gold or wooden headjoints by Sanford Drelinger of White Plains, New York. When not immersed in music, Alexa enjoys motorcycling, nature and her elderly rescue dogs.

Gary Woodward brings to NCFC a wealth of experience, knowledge, and wisdom gleaned from a multifaceted career at the highest level of performance in orchestral, chamber music, commercial recording, and musical theater. Highlights of his over forty year career include twenty-five seasons as the Principal Flutist of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, and performances as principal with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Orange County Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony, American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, and the Bolshoi and Kirov ballet companies. Mr. Woodward is actively recording for motion pictures and television, having played countless scores written by the top composers at all of the major recording studios. He has also played in orchestras for over a dozen first-class musical theater productions. Mr. Woodward began teaching the flute at age 16 and landed his first University position at age 26 at UC Santa Barbara. He recently left his 31-year tenure at the University of Southern California to devote his time and energy to his students at Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, The Master’s, College and Occidental College. Mr. Woodward holds degrees in music from the University of Southern California and Chapman University, where his principal teachers were Roger Stevens and Arthur Hoberman. Edna Comerchero was his beloved teacher through high school in his native Sacramento. He studied extensively in the master classes of world-renowned flutists Julius Baker, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Marcel Moyse and Maxence Larrieu.

Proudly serving as NCFC's Director for 28 years,  Karen Van Dyke made her professional debut at the age of 17 when she performed as a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony. She currently maintains an active and versatile career. As an orchestral musician she has performed with the Berkeley Symphony, Symphony Silicon Valley,  the Ballet San Jose Orchestra, and served as the principal flutist of the Anchorage Festival of Music. As a Lecturer in the Music Department at Stanford University, she founded the highly acclaimed Stanford Flute Ensemble at the request of the late, eminent flutist Frances Blaisdell in 1996 and has directed the SFE in showcase performances at NFA and in a TEDx Stanford performance. Included in her active chamber music life have been performances of Jake Heggie’s Statuesque with the composer at the piano, and a duo performance with flutist Jeanne Baxtresser. A highly sought after teacher and clinician, students of Ms. Van Dyke have been admitted to top music schools and conservatories, and to prestigious summer music programs. She currently serves as a Winds Coach for the California Youth Symphony. Ms. Van Dyke has produced one solo CD, Movements Perpetuels, with guitarist Paul Binkley. She is immeasurably appreciative of her primary teachers: Eleanor Lawrence, William Montgomery, Frances Blaisdell, and Norman Katz.. Ms. Van Dyke has been named in Who’s Who in America. 

Tomiko Tsai is a flute teacher and performer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tomiko received her Master’s degree in Flute Performance at USC, where she studied with Gary Woodward, former principal flutist of the Los Angeles Opera. Tomiko received her Bachelor’s degrees in Music and Chemistry from the University of Puget Sound where she studied with Karla Flygare, principal flutist of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and Auburn Symphony. Tomiko is currently a member of the Divisa Ensemble, a classical chamber music quintet comprised of flute, oboe, violin, viola, and cello, which coaches chamber music and performs throughout the Bay Area. 

Tomiko has maintained a private studio since 2004.  Many of her students have since become talented flutists winning competitions at the regional, state, and national levels.  Tomiko previously worked in public and private schools, teaching flute, band, history and music theory.  A native of Palo Alto, CA, she began playing the flute at the age of 13, under the tutelage first of Joy Apple and then Karen Van Dyke.  Although Tomiko’s introduction to flute playing was a relatively late start, flute quickly became her biggest passion and she hopes to pass on her enthusiasm to the next generation of flutists.

Miles Graber received his musical education at the Juilliard School, where he studied with Anne Hull, Phyllis Kreuter, Hugh Aitken and Louse Behrend. He has lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1971, where he has developed a wide reputation as an accompanist and collaborative pianist for instrumentalists and singers. He has performed with numerous solo artists, including Sarah Chang, Cho-Liang Lin, Camilla Wicks, Mimi Stillman, Judith LeClair, Frederica von Stade, and Martha Aarons. He is a member of the chamber groups MusicAEterna, GGRE Trio, Alcyone Ensemble, the Sor Ensemble, Mira Trio and the new music group Sounds New. Mr. Graber has been associated with such ensembles as the New Century Chamber Orchestra, Midsummer Mozart, the Oakland Symphony, the Berkeley Symphony, the California Symphony, and Opera San José. He has accompanied the master classes of Midori, Joseph Silverstein, James Galway, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Yo-Yo Ma, Leon Fleisher, Jeanne Baxtresser and Paula Robison. Mr. Graber has been a frequent performer with members of the San Francisco Symphony, San Jose Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, California Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, and many other orchestras. He is a staff accompanist at the San Domenico Conservatory in San Anselmo, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and NCFC.

Lori Lack, Piano, has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe and the United States. Most recently, she had a piano trio with Christina Mok and Joanne Lin, was a member of the Laurel Ensemble, and performed with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and Gold Coast Chamber Players.  As a collaborative pianist, she has performed in recital with many artists including the Alexander String Quartet, the Stamic Quartet, Robin Sharp, Zuill Bailey, Jassen Todorov, Stephen Paulson, and Matt Haimovitz. She has also performed as a member of the SF Symphony, Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, Oakland Symphony, accompanied SF Symphony auditions and served on the faculty of California Summer Music. She is currently a staff accompanist at Stanford University, and works as a freelance collaborative pianist in the Bay Area.

Catherine Payne joined the San Francisco Symphony as piccolo player in 1996. She previously performed with the Boston Symphony as acting second flute and served as principal flute of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston and associate principal flute and piccolo player with the Portland Symphony. A native of Hartford, Connecticut, Ms. Payne graduated from New England Conservatory and Tufts University. She currently serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and is a flute coach for the SF Symphony Youth Orchestra.