Mei S.

Flute

Genres: Classical, Contemporary

Teaches in English

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New York City-based flutist Mei Yoshimura Stone, first discovered her love of music in animated movie soundtracks. Since then, she has been fascinated with storytelling through sound and the messages and memories we can share through music. Committed to collaborating with artists of all genres, Mei has performed on modern, baroque, and classical flutes alongside Claire Chase and the International Contemporary Ensemble, Grammy-Award-winning ensemble eighth blackbird, visual artist Anela Ming-Yue and baroque ensemble Juilliard415. Mei received her Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School in New York City under the instruction of Mr. Jeffrey Khaner, Principal Flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

 

Currently, Mei serves as the Artistic Director of the Sound Garden Quintet, whose Seed Sowing Project challenges and redefines the conventions of classical music and brings them to underserved communities across the United States. She is also Co-Founder of In Nomine, an early music ensemble specializing in music from the 17th and 18th centuries. 

 

Mei has held a variety of musical performer/educator positions, including running interactive programs at metropolitan healthcare facilities through a community engagement program at Juilliard, teaching artist at City College Academy of the Arts and George Jackson Academy, camp counselor leadership positions, and residence life instructor at the Interlochen Arts Academy. She also grew up with two siblings with autism, which led to her work with children and young adults with developmental disabilities. She is a big believer in storytelling through music and uses that as a guiding philosophy in teaching. 

 

As a teacher, Mei focuses on technique and helping students set and achieve specific goals. Mei's primary goal is to have her students find a natural enjoyment and enthusiasm for the act of creating music. In both teaching and performing, she encourage imagination and storytelling, which enriches the musical experience and allows us to connect our own personal emotions to the sounds we hear, fostering deeper thinking, empathy, creativity, and positive association.

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