Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
Opus Ithaca School of Music
Luzerne Music Center
Elizabeth (Liz) Shuhan, principal flutist of the Fort Smith Symphony (AR) since 1998, recording four CDs under the Naxos label with this orchestra, enjoys a varied career of performing and teaching. She is visiting lecturer of flute at Cornell University and is also on the flute faculty and Director of Education and Community Engagement at Opus Ithaca School of Music in Ithaca, NY. In 2019, Ms. Shuhan was appointed as faculty flute artist at Luzerne Music Center where she coaches young musicians from all over the world and performs chamber music with her colleagues. As a chamber musician, she performs regularly in recital with the Shuhan Trio and the Ithaca Flute Duo. An advocate for new music, she is also a resident ensemble member of the Ithaca New Music Collective. She has performed as substitute principal flute and piccolo with the Binghamton Philharmonic and has also performed with the Rochester Philharmonic, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and the Rochester Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Shuhan is also an active freelance artist, performing with the Skaneateles Festival Orchestra, Finger Lakes Opera, Opera Ithaca, Cornell Festival Chamber Orchestra, Grassroots Festival Orchestra and the Opus Chamber Orchestra to name a few. Previous positions include, principal flute and 2nd flute/piccolo with the North Arkansas Symphony and 2nd flute/piccolo with the Meridien (MS) Symphony.
Ms. Shuhan has served as Woodwind Chair for the New York State Music Teacher’s Association and is an active adjudicator in central and western New York. She currently serves on the National Flute Association Youth Engagement Committee. She has presented and performed at several National Flute Association conventions, the Suzuki Association of Americas conventions, the College Music Society conference, International Double Reed Society conferences and at the International Horn Society Symposiums. Ms. Shuhan was previously on the faculties of Ithaca College as a lecturer in music education and performance studies, the Hochstein School of Music and Dance in Rochester, NY as flute instructor and Director and flute instructor at the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas (University of Arkansas). She was also a teaching assistant and visiting assistant professor of flute at the University of Arkansas.
As a flute soloist, she has performed concerti with the Ithaca Community Orchestra, the Fort Smith Symphony, the North Arkansas Symphony, the Music Festival of Arkansas Orchestra, the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble, the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony and the Hunstville (AL) Youth Symphony. A laureate of several competitions, including: winner of the National Flute Association Convention Performers and Professional Flute Choir Competitions, first-place winner of the Mid-South Flute Society Competition, a finalist in the Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Artist Competitions, and a finalist in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competitions. National Flute Association Convention Performers and Professional Flute Choir Competitions. She was also the first-place winner of the Mid-South Flute Society Competition, a finalist in the Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Artist Competitions, and a finalist with the USM woodwind quintet in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competitions.
Ms. Shuhan has received advanced teacher training in the Suzuki flute method, earning certification with the Suzuki Association of the Americas while studying with master teacher trainers Toshio Takahashi, David Gerry and Wendy Stern to name a few. She holds degrees from the University of Arkansas and the University of Southern Mississippi. Principal teachers include Ronda Mains, Sharon Lebsack and Sheryl Cohen.
She has recorded for Naxos, Albany Records and PBS. Since 2005, Ms. Shuhan has been playing and performing on Burkart flutes exclusively. She currently performs on a 14K gold Burkart Elite flute with silver keys and a platinum headjoint and a Burkart Elite piccolo with gold fittings.
When Liz is not teaching or performing, you might find her practicing hot yoga, walking in the Ithaca Fall Creek neighborhood with her dog Tina or out on her front porch enjoying her 1850’s home with her husband, Alex and son, Nathaniel.