Laguna Flutes began performing in the Fall of of 2013 under the direction of Cynthia Ellis. This group has been part of the musical community of Southern California, affiliated with the Laguna Beach Concert Band for many years prior to her leadership and with Orange County Music and Dance during its history.
Since then, they have grown from an ensemble of 6 to one with over 20 flutists, including Contrabass. Laguna Flutes was invited to perform at the National Flute Association Convention in 2021 and 2023. They have commissioned three works, including “Spirit of Water” by Peter Senchuk, which premiered at NFA in 2023, “Upon an English Countryside,” arranged by Ed Hogan as a flute ensemble adaptation of a choral work, and Phyllis Avidan Louke’s “Come Celebrate Christmas” which premiered in December 2024.
Lauren Bergh is a Southern California native who enjoys playing flute, piccolo and bassoon in a variety of community ensembles in Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Lauren is proud to be a member for the Laguna Flutes for approximately 5 years.
Georgia Higgins attended Kent State University as a music education major. She is a long time member of the Long Beach Community Band and also enjoys playing saxophone in various small groups. She owns Long Beach Woodwinds where she teaches private woodwind instruction. She loves playing the bass flute with us.
Lei Shishak joined Laguna Flutes in 2022. She began playing the flute at age 8 and continued playing in concert, stage, and marching bands throughout her college years. Along the way, she occasionally dabbled in saxophone and oboe. She is a published cookbook author, trained chef, and food editor at Allrecipes.com.
Diane started playing flute and piccolo at Poway High School and attended CSULB, playing in the marching band. She graduated and taught science for 20 years and now serves as Vice Principal. Diane has been a member of the Long Beach Community Band, playing flute and piccolo for 20+ years, and also plays with the Long Beach Chamber Music group. She loves playing the Alto flute with Laguna Flutes.
A retired engineer, Tom enjoys playing saxophone and flute with different ensembles, including big bands, Brazilian/jazz combo, and saxophone quartets. In the service he played in Air Force bands in Georgia and Hawaii. His flute teachers include Lori Bell and Ali Ryerson.
William Hsu graduated from UCLA with a degree in Applied Mathematics and a Master’s in Education with a Single Subject credential in Mathematics. Currently, he’s a math and computer science teacher at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, but with a passion for music, he plays contrabass flute for Laguna Flutes and the Game Music Ensemble (GME) at UCLA. During the early part of the pandemic, he also directed a virtual choir and orchestra for his church and two virtual flute choirs with flutists from around the world.
I have the privilege of playing contrabass flute with Laguna Flutes, Flutesonic Orchestra, Song of the Angels, and Pipe Dreams. It is a wonderful life!
Heather Hodges attended the University of California Riverside and earned an MA from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University. She is retired from teaching elementary music in the Val Verde school district and enjoys teaching and chamber music. Heather plays bass flute with Laguna flutes.
Pamela Hodges Jones performs on flute and piccolo with the Laguna Flutes. She has a BM in Flute Performance and a BA in Music Education from CSU, Fullerton, where she studied with Cindy Ellis. She has an MA from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University. She works in the Riverside USD, where she teaches band, choir, guitar, and Mariachi. She has performed with many community groups and as a freelance musician throughout Southern California.
Karen Zelazo joined Laguna flutes in 2021. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music education from CSULB as a saxophone major, and a master’s degree in Music from American Band College. She recently retired from teaching junior high band and now works as a full-time freelance musician performing on clarinet, flute, and saxophone.
Donna Guiliano received the Music Award at her high school graduation. After 41 years, she started playing again, encouraged by her daughter and her daughter’s teacher, Cindy Ellis. She has been a member of the Laguna Flutes for the past 8 years, proving it’s never too late to do something you love.
Jay graduated from UCI with a degree in Business Information Management and is currently a corporate tax manager at Edwards Lifesciences. He currently takes private lessons with Christine Han at OC Music and Dance. Finally, he’s honored to be a part of Laguna Flutes, as the last time he played in an ensemble was in early high school.
Paula received her Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from The Boston Conservatory and her Master of Music in Music Business and Entertainment Industry from the University of Miami (FL). She plays in several groups in the LA area, including Song of Angels Flute Orchestra, Los Angeles Symphonic Winds, and Palos Verdes Symphonic Band. Ms. Savastano currently works in the music industry as the Senior Director of Copyright and Royalties for the music publisher Angry Mob Music, based in Santa Monica.
Andrew Jones joined Laguna Flutes in 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University, Fullerton, and a Master of Music degree from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University. Andrew has been an itinerant elementary music teacher in the Riverside Unified School District since 1999. Andrew’s primary instrument is the saxophone, which he performs in various bands and chamber groups in Southern California.
Brenda Cody is a southern California native who recently moved back to SoCal after several decades away. She attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ, on a music scholarship. Since graduation (40+ years ago), she jokes that she’s only played for weddings and funerals, except for a few years playing with the Space Coast Flute Choir in Melbourne, FL. She’s glad to have found Laguna Flutes and to be playing more consistently.
Since Hiroko picked up a flute in elementary school, she has always enjoyed playing it in various groups. In the past ten years, she has been playing flute and piccolo in the Irvine Valley College Wind Symphony as a community member. Hiroko graduated from UCI with a degree in International Studies and Sociology and works in marketing in the enterprise software industry.
Linda is a recent California transplant from Michigan, where she enjoyed an active career as a clinician, teacher, performer, and arranger, with a background that includes Music Performance, Music Technology, and Business Administration. Ms. Howard has performed and presented at several NFA and regional conventions and in masterclasses on flute and piccolo with Clement Barone, Shaul Ben Meir, Leone Buyse, Amy Porter, and Nan Raphael, to name a few.
Maria is thrilled to play with the Laguna Flutes again after a several-year hiatus. Maria has been performing in flute choirs for over 30 years. Before the Laguna Flutes, Maria performed with the Pennsylvania Flute Choir from 2003- 2014, the Harvard University Flute ensemble from 2001 – 2003, and she founded the Johns Hopkins Flute Choir in 1994, which is still active today. Maria minored in Music and studied at the Peabody Conservatory under Bonnie Lake from 1992 – 1996. She has also been an active performer with various concert bands and orchestras over the years in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California.
Stacey earned her BS in Chemistry from California Lutheran University and MS in Chemistry from UCI. She played flute in various college ensembles throughout college and graduate school and has continued playing flute in the Irvine Valley College Wind Symphony after graduation. After teaching for 18 years at the high school level, Stacey is currently an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, CA.
Sophia Hernandez Lin has a BA in Music from UCLA with dual concentrations in Flute Performance and Music Education. At UCLA, Sophia studied with Sheridon Stokes, was a Gluck Fellow, played piccolo in the UCLA Marching Band, and was a founding member of the UCLA Flute Quartet. In 2021, Sophia recorded the shinobue (traditional Japanese flute) for the Lionsgate film, The Protégé. She also holds an MA in Education and taught instrumental music for fifteen years before transitioning into a role as a Teacher on Special Assignment for Community Schools.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Nicolas started playing the flute when he was 8 years old. He was planning on going to the University of Ottawa with his flute, but the cosmic forces had other plans, as he started performing in Broadway shows, first in Canada and eventually making his way to the Big Apple and living and performing in New York City for over 20 years. Nicolas recently retired from Broadway and is now living in Orange County with his family. Nicolas is so happy to be able to flex his flute muscles again with this lovely flute choir.
Francine earned her Bachelor’s from the Eastman School of Music, studying with Joseph Mariano, and a master’s Degree from the U.S.C.
In Los Angeles, Francine has been heard live on KUSC and KFAC radio and on many recordings. Regionally, she has performed with the Santa Barbara Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Westside-Beverly Hills Symphony, Foothill Artists Trio, and Five Winds Quintet. Francine performed two summers in the Aspen Music Festival and filmed for Bravo Cable.
Francine performs with the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, International Flute Orchestra, Song of the Angels Flute Orchestra, FluteSonic Flute Orchestra, and Laguna Flutes.
Susan Hafner has a degree in flute performance from Biola University. She teaches flute and piano to students of all ages throughout Southern California and integrates her knowledge of how the body works in her teaching. Susan is passionate about instilling in the next generation of musicians the desire and tools to achieve musical excellence. She is also motivated by the proven value of music in enriching our lives.
Southern California woodwind musician and educator Cynthia Swanson (Yamaha Performing Artist since 1990) began her musical journey with a childhood desire to play the flute, a dream she realized later in her career. She is a versatile performer on saxophone, clarinet, flute and piccolo in pit orchestras (including 11 years with How The Grinch Stole Christmas at The Old Globe in Balboa Park), saxophone quartets, big bands, and horn sections. A CSULB graduate (B.M. Saxophone Performance), her diverse experience includes 16 years as a Disneyland musician and performances with orchestras such as the Los Angeles Classical Ballet and Santa Monica Symphony. She has toured with ensembles including the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Hoagy Carmichael Centennial Celebration. Trivia: Look closely during the marching band scene in The Muppets (2011) – you might spot her playing piccolo!
Cari earned a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from California State University, Northridge. Her flute playing can be heard on Grammy-nominated albums, commercials, and art installations. Cari is also a voice actor. You may recognize her voice on national commercials and online ads.
