Bio/CV
Elivi Varga, a flutist of Hungarian and Swedish decent, began her musical education at the age of four, and eventually studied at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest before earning a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in flute performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Varga’s doctoral thesis explored flute music by Swedish women composers. Her teachers include Bonnie Lake, Kimberly Risinger, Jonathan Keeble, and Manuela Wiesler.
Varga regularly performs as a soloist in the United States and Scandinavia. For more than a decade, Varga has researched and championed music by women composers, and she often includes works by under-represented composers on her programming. She is also an active chamber musician and has performed with such ensembles as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and the Louisiana Sinfonietta. She is currently principal flute of the Philadelphia Wind Symphony.
Elivi has taught at Illinois State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Alvernia University, Community College of Philadelphia, Nelly Berman School of Music, and at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, where she currently lives.
EDUCATION
DMA, Flute Performance and Literature, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 2007
Doctoral Minor: Music Theory
Doctoral Thesis: “Contemporary Flute Music by Swedish Women Composers”
Committee: Jonathan Keeble, Timothy McGovern, Bruno Nettl, Heidi Von Gunden
MM, Flute Performance, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 2004
Post-Graduate Certificate, Flute Performance, Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary, 1998
BA, Flute Performance, with Honors in Music, Goucher College, Towson, MD, 1994
TEACHING
Lecturer, Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 2011 – present
Flute Instructor, Settlement Music School, Philadelphia, PA, 2010 – present
Private Flute Teacher, 1994 – present
Lecturer, Alvernia University, Reading, PA, 2011
Flute Instructor, Camp Batawagama, Crystal Falls, MI, 2008, 2010, 2011
Lecturer, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA, 2009 – 2010
Flute Instructor, Louisiana State University Academy, Baton Rouge, LA, 2009
Visiting Assistant Professor, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 2008
Extended Faculty Member, Illinois Summer Youth Music, Urbana, IL, 2005, 2007, 2008
Teaching Assistant, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2005 – 2006
Graduate Assistant, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 2002 – 2004
Flute Instructor & Chamber Music Coach, Settlement Music School, Philadelphia & Jenkintown, PA, 2000 – 2002
Flute Instructor, Philadelphia Art & Music School, Elkins Park, PA, 2000 – 2002
PERFORMING: Selected Solo Recitals & Appearances
Sweden, Summer 2012
Goucher College, Towson, MD, March 2012
Stockholm, Sweden, 2011
Vimmerby, Sweden, 2011
Louisiana Flute Society Festival Recital, New Orleans, LA, 2010
Eight recitals in various towns, Sweden, 2008
Illinois State University Faculty Recital, Normal, IL, 2008
Cultural Center, Åland, Finland, 2007
Con Amore Chamber Music Series, Västervik, Sweden, 2007
Five recitals in various towns, Sweden, 2004
Levine School of Music, Washington DC, 2003
College of William & Mary, Ewell Concert Series, Williamsburg, VA, 2002
Friendship Heights Community Center, Friendship Heights, MD, 2000, 2001
Goucher College, Towson, MD, 1999
PERFORMING: Orchestra Affiliations
Principal flute, Philadelphia Wind Symphony Philadelphia, PA, 2011 – present
Substitute principal flute, Louisiana Sinfonietta, Baton Rouge, LA, 2010
Substitute principal flute and third flute/piccolo, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Baton Rouge, LA, 2009 – 2010
Substitute third flute/piccolo, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, Lafayette, LA, 2009 – 2010
Principal flute, Magnolia Strings Orchestra, New Orleans, LA, 2009
Substitute principal, second, and third flute/piccolo, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Springfield, IL, 2003 – 2009
Substitute principal flute and second flute, Illinois Chamber Orchestra, Springfield, IL, 2008
Principal flute, Jenkintown Music Theater Orchestra, Jenkintown, PA, 2000 – 2002
Principal flute, Settlement Music School Contemporary Players, Philadelphia, PA, 2001
RECORDINGS
Silver Tunes: Music for Flute and Organ. CD. Sterling Records, 2011
Where the Cross is Made. Nancy Van de Vate. CD. Vienna Modern Masters, 2006
Principal flute, Illinois State University Opera Theater Orchestra
Song Books. The Music of David Maslanka and Daron Hagen. CD. Albany Records, 2004
Flute, Illinois State University Wind Symphony Chamber Winds
AWARDS
Artist Grant, American Scandinavian Association, Washington DC, 2011
Teaching Assistantship, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 2005 – 2006
Graduate Assistantship, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 2002 – 2004
Rosenberg Prize in Music, Goucher College, Towson, MD, 1994
Rosenberg Scholarship in Music, Goucher College, Towson, MD, 1991 – 1994
First Place, Young Artists’ Competition, Fort Washington, MD, 1992
ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Music Critic, Philadelphia City Paper Blog, Philadelphia, PA, 2010 – 2011
Secretary, Louisiana Flute Society, 2008 – 2010
Panelist, Pedagogy Panel, Louisiana Flute Society Annual Festival, New Orleans, LA, 2010
Adjudicator, Young Artist Competition, Louisiana Flute Society Annual Festival, New Orleans, LA, 2010
Presenter, Flute Lectures, University Laboratory School, Baton Rouge, LA, 2009
Adjudicator, Louisiana Music Educators Association, Hammond, LA, 2009
Adjudicator, Conservatory of Central Illinois Chamber Music Festival, Champaign, IL, 2008
Committee Member, Dean Search Committee, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University, 2004
Assistant Coordinator, Women in Music conference, Illinois State University, 2003 – 2004
Editor, School of Music Alumni Newsletter, Illinois State University, 2003 – 2004
Graduate Music Student Representative, College of Fine Arts College Council, Illinois State University, 2003 – 2004
Adjudicator, Illinois Music Educators Association, 2003
Chamber Music Coordinator, Settlement Music School, West Philadelphia & Jenkintown, PA, 2000 – 2002
TEACHERS
Dr. Jonathan Keeble, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 2004 – 2006
Dr. Kimberly Risinger, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 2002 – 2004
Manuela Wiesler, Vienna, Austria, 1995 – 1999
Dániel Tosér, Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary, 1996 – 1998
István Matuz, Budapest, Hungary, 1995 – 1996
Bonnie Lake, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Goucher College, Towson, MD, 1990 – 1994
Toshiko Kohno, National Symphony Orchestra, Washington DC, 1988 – 1990
