Through the foundations of the American School of Flute Playing, students play repertoire from all musical eras (Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century), orchestral excerpts and various tone/technique development methods.
Benefits of Plaha Flute Studios:
- college advisement/preparation for arts supplements and/or music major auditions
- masterclasses
- guest artist events
- music theory
- music history
- community service and performance opportunities.
High Notes
Proud of the achievements of students in Plaha Flute Studios:
- Mahati Ramakrishna is a winner of the 2023 National Flute Associate Flute Choir Competition!
- Sophie Qin auditioned into the 2023-24 Saratoga High Wind Enesmble!
- Dhanya Balan auditioned into Westlake Wind Ensemble!
- Jasmine Barajas auditioned into the 2023-24 Fremont High School Wind Ensemble!
- Jessica Wang and Qia Zhang passed ABRSM level 8 playing exam with distinction!
- Jonathan Chen auditioned into the 2023-24 Homestead High School Wind Ensemble I!
- Qia Zhang auditioned into 2023-24 CYS Associate Orchestra!
- Sophie Qin auditioned into the 2023-24 Saratoga High Symphony Orchestra!
- Dhanya Balan passed ABRSM level 8 exam with merit!
- Emily Wang passed ABRSM level 5 exam with merit!
- Jessica Wang auditioned into the 2023 Hope Box Charity Honors Symphony Orchestra!
- Mia Chetty passed ABRSM level 7 playing exam!
- Crystal Li passed ABRSM level 7 playing exam!
- Jasmine Barajas auditioned to be the 2023 Fremont High School Flute Marching Band Section Leader!
- Zoe Lin auditioned into first flute of Internationally Acclaimed High School Honors Performance Series 2023 and performed in Carnegie Hall!
- Qia Zhang auditioned into Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Zoe Lin passed ABRSM level 8 playing exam with merit!
- Zoe Lin is a winner of the 2022 National Flute Association Flute Choir Competition!
- Zoe Lin auditioned into 2022-23 CYS Senior Symphony!
- Jonathan Chen auditioned into 2022-23 SJYS Senior Symphony!
- Stefan Vin was awarded a 2022 Congressional Gold Medal!
- Zoe Lin auditioned into 2022-23 Homestead High School Wind Ensemble I!
- Kimberly Yang was awarded a 2022 Presidential Volunteerism Award!
- Qia Zhang and Dhanya Balan auditioned into 2022-23 Lynbrook High School Symphonic Band!
- Crystal Li passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam!
- Jonathan Chen is principal flute of the 2021-22 spring season SJYS Chamber Orchestra!
- Emily Wang made it into 2022 CBDA Jr. High All- State!
- Emily Wang made it into 2022 NorCal Honor Band!
- Ankita Ramabadran passed ABRSM level 5 theory with merit!
- Amrita Ramabadran passed ABRSM level 5 theory exam!
- Samantha Huang passed ABRSM level 8 performance exam with merit!
- Qia Zhang passed the ABRSM level 7 performance exam with merit!
- Jessica Wang passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam with distinction!
- Aadi Kenchamanna passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam!
- Qia Zhang is principal flute of the 2021-22 fall season SJYS Chamber Orchestra!
- Kimberly Yang is principal piccolo of the 2021-22 SJYS Philharmonic Orchestra!
- Kimberly Yang is principal piccolo of the 2021-22 Lynbrook High Wind Ensemble!
- Dhanya Balan passed ABRSM level 5 theory with distinction!
- Mia Chetty passed ABRSM level 5 theory with merit!
- Crystal Li passed ABRSM level 5 theory exam!
- Zoe Lin passed ABRSM level 7 performance exam with distinction!
- Mia Chetty passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam with Merit!
- Mahati Ramakrishna passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam!
- Emily Wang passed ABRSM level 3 performance exam with merit!
- Wesley Goh passed the ABRSM level 8 performance exam with merit!
- Kimberly Yang auditioned into the 2021-22 SJYS Philharmonic Orchestra!
- Samantha Huang auditioned into the 2021-22 GYSO Symphonietta Orchestra!
- Jonathan Chen & Qia Zhang auditioned into the 2021-22 SJYS Chamber Orchestra!
- Dhanya Balan auditioned into the SJYS Concert Orchestra!
- Zoe Lin auditioned into the GYSO Wind Ensemble I!
- Amrita & Ankita Ramabadran auditioned into 2021-22 Miller Middle School Advanced band!
- Emily Wang auditioned into 2021-22 Lawson Middle School Advanced band!
- Dhanya Balan & Zoe Lin passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam with Merit!
- Sophie Qin passed ABRSM level 5 performance exam!
- Crystal Li won second place in the Server talent competition!
- Avery Chen is a winner of the 2021 National Flute Association Flute Choir Competition!
- Wesley Goh auditioned to be a section leader of Lynbrook High School Marching Band!
- Ian Chen passed ABRSM level 8 performance exam!
- Avery Chen auditioned into the 2021 Western Band Directors Association Honor Band!
- Zoe Lin auditioned into 2021 Junior High All- State!
- Avery Chen auditioned into 2021 High School All-State!
- Ashlee Liu auditioned into 2021 Santa Clara County Honor Band!
- Samantha Huang, Wesley Goh and Kimberly Yang auditioned into Lynbrook High School Wind Ensemble!
- Avery Chen auditioned to remain Principal Flute of Homestead High School Wind Ensemble 1!
- Jonathan Chen auditioned into second chair of Homestead High School Wind Ensemble 2!
- Qia Zhang received an Honorable Mention of the 2021 CAMPT regional Contemporary Competition!
- Stefan Vin passed ABRSM level 8 performance exam with Distinction!
- Kimberly Yangpassed ABRSM level 8 performance exam with Merit!
- Wesley Goh and Samantha Huang passed ABRSM level 8 performance exam with Distinction!
- Wesley Gohscored a percfect score on one of his repertoire pieces-a first EVER for PFS!
- Ellie Schmidt passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam with Merit!
- Jonathan Chen passed ABRSM level 6 performance exam!
- Jessica Wang passed ABRSM level 5 performance exam with Merit!
- Crystal Lipassed ABRSM level 5
- Stefan Vin auditioned into the 2020-21 GYSO Senior Symphony Orchestra!
- Avery Chen auditioned into the 2020-21 CYS Senior Symphony Orchestra!
- Kimberly Yang auditioned into the 2021 Honors Performance Symphony Orchestra in Austria!
- Samantha Huang & Kimberly Yang auditioned into the GYSO Wind Ensemble!
- Zoe Lin auditioned into the Cupertino Middle School Advanced Band!
- Dhanya Balan & Mahati Ramakrishna auditioned into the Miller Middle School Advanced Band!
- Samantha Huang & Zoe Lin passed ABRSM level 5 theory with distinction!
- Jessica Wang passed ABRSM level 5 theory with merit!
- Avery Chen is the 2020-21 principal flute of the Homestead High School Wind Ensemble!
- Kimberly Yang auditioned into the 2020 Middle School Symphony Orchestra in Royal Albert Hall, UK!
- Samantha Huang, Wesley Goh & Kimberly Yang auditioned into Lynbrook High School Symphonic Band!
- Kimberly Yang won first alternate in the MTNA regional intermediate solo competition!
- Caroline Sun passed ABRSM level 8 with merit!
- Stefan Vin & Ian Chen passed ABRSM level 7 with merit!
- Qia Zhang & Wesley Goh passed ABRSM level 6 with merit!
- Zoe Lin passed ABRSM level 5 with merit!
- Mahati Ramakrishna passed ABRSM level 5 theory!
- Avery Chen auditioned into 2020 Santa Clara County Honor Band!
- Dhanya Balan is principal flute of Miller Middle School Intermediate Band!
- Ashlee Liu made first flute of Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Avery Chen is principal flute of Homestead High School Concert band!
- Aadi Kenchamanna Is co-principal of Blach Intermediate School band!
- Wesley Goh is principal flute of Lynbrook High School concert band!
- Kimberly Yang is the California representative for the MTNA regional intermediate solo competition!
- Caroline Sun passed ABRSM level 7 with distinction!
- Avery Chen passed ABRSM level 6 with distinction!
- Wesley Goh passed ABRSM level 6 with merit!
- Joanna Hsieh is a winner of the 2019 National Flute Association Flute Chior Competition!
- Ashlee Liu made it into the Lynbrook High School Wind Ensemble!
- Kimberly Yang made it into the Honors Performance Series in Carnegie Hall!
- Qia Zhang made it into Miller Middle School Advanced Band!
- Bridget Swineford made it into Cupertino Middle School Advanced Band!
- Stefan Vin made it into the Monte Vista High School Wind Ensemble!
- Joanna Hsieh made it into the 2019-2020 Golden State Senior Youth Orchestra!
- Stefan Vin made it into the 2019-2020 Golden State Symphioneta Youth Orchestra!
- Emily Du was first piccolo in the state of California at 2019 CBDA All-State!
- Emily Du was co-principal of the 2019 Santa Clara County Honor Band!
- Joanna Hsieh won the 2019 Los Altos Intermediate Winds Solo Competition!
- Ashlee Liu won 3rd place in the 2019 Los Altos Intermediate Winds Solo Competition!
- Joanna Hsieh passed ABRSM level 5 with distinction!
- Wesley Goh , Katherine Hsia, Qia Zhang and Joyce Cao passed ABRSM level 5 with merit!
- Priscilla Goh and Ian Chen passed ABRSM level 6!
- Kimberly Yang passed ABRSM level 6 with merit!
- Caroline Sun passed ABRSM level 7 with distinction!
- Annabelle Flint passed ABRSM level 7 with merit!
- Ashlee Liu passed ABRSM level 7!
- Joanna Hsieh won the Areon Summer Institute Senior Solo Competition!
- Kimberly Lin made it into Miller Advanced Band!
- Stefan Vin is Principal Flute of Golden State Youth Orchestra!
- Emily Du is Co-Principal Flute of California Youth Symphony!
- Hannah Han is Principal Piccolo of San Jose Youth Symphony!
- Emily Du is Principal Flute of Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Emily Duis Principal Flute of Lynbrook Symphony Orchestra!
- Stefan Vin auditioned into the 2018 Junior High Carnegie Hall Honors Performance Series!
- Kimberly Lin received a Command Performance at CMEA Solo ‘n’ Ensemble 2018!
- Emily Du is an honorable mention performer (out of 7,600 applicants!) of the 2018 YoungArts National Competition!
- Emily Du is a semi-finalist of the 2018 Mondavi Young Artist Competition!
- Emily Du made 2018 California All-State!
- Renee Ge won the 2018 Los Altos Intermediate Solo Competition!
- Joanna Hseih received 2nd place in the 2018 Los Altos Intermediate Solo Competition!
- Qia Cai received an honorable mention in the 2018 Los Altos Intermediate Solo Competition!
- Jaclyn Chiu and Emily Du won the Los Altos Senior Chamber Music Competition!
- Mia Chetty and Aadi Kenchamanna won the Los Altos Intermediate Chamber Music Competition!
- Ian Chen, Ashlee Liu and Ellie Schmidt were part of a quintet that received 2nd place at the Los Altos Intermediate Chamber Music Competition.
- Jaclyn Chiu passed level 8 ABRSM exam with Merit!
- Caroline Sun passed level 5 ABRSM exam with Distinction!
- Annabelle Flint passed level 5 ABRSM exam with Merit!
- Priscilla Goh and Kimberly Yang passed level 5 ABRSM exam!
- Ian Chen passed level 4 ABRSM exam with Merit!
- Emily Du received honorable mention at the CA State MTNA senior solo competition!
- Renee Ge received honorable mention at the CA State MTNA junior solo competition!
- Emily Du auditioned into the principal first flute of California Youth Orchestra!
- Joanna Lin auditioned into the co-principal first flute of Harker Symphony Orchestra!
- Justin Au auditioned into the assistant principal first flute of Harker Symphony Orchestra!
- Emily Du auditioned into the principal first flute of Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Emilie Enser auditioned into the principal first flute of Blach 8th grade band!
- Joanna Hseih auditioned into the assistant principal first flute of El Camino Youth Wind Ensemble!
- Renee Ge auditioned into first flute of El Camino Youth Wind Ensemble!
- Stefan Vin auditioned into the first flute of California Youth Wind Ensemble!
- Mia Chetty auditioned into the first flute of California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra!
- Emily Du won the 2017 Areon Summer Flute Institute solo competition!
- Renee Ge won 3rd place at the VOCE state solo Competition!
- Sally Lee auditioned into co-section leader at Saratoga High!
- Hannah Han auditioned into 2017-18 KAMSA Senior Orchestra!
- Ian Chen auditioned into 2017-18 ECYS Camerata Orchestra!
- Hannah Han auditioned into principal piccolo of the 2017-18 San Jose Youth Symphony Philharmonic Orchestra!
- Maggie Wu is a winner of the Homestead High School Senior concerto competition!
- Jaclyn Chiu auditioned into principal of the 2017-18 Homestead Wind Ensemble!
- Emily Du auditioned into assistant principal of Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Joanna Spyrou and Sarayu Namineni passed ABRSM level 8 with Merit!
- Stefan Vin passed ABRSM level 5 with Distinction!
- Ian Chen passed ABRSM level 3 with Merit!
- Aadi Kenchemmanna passed ABRSM level 3!
- Hannah Han passed CM level 8!
- Caroline Sun passed CM level 6!
- Renee Ge won the Intermediate Soloist Los Altos VOCE competition!
- Emily Du auditioned into the 2017 California All-State Symphony Orchestra!
- Emily Du auditioned into 3rd chair of the 2017 Santa Clara County Honor Band!
- Grace Tai and her chamber music group passed the ABRSM chamber music certificate with distinction!
- Ian Chen auditioned into the 2016-17 Palo Alto 6th grade Honor Band!
- Emily Du auditioned into the 2016-17 CYS Senior Symphony!
- Jaclyn Chiu auditioned into the assistant principal position of 2016-17 Homestead High School Wind Ensemble!
- Cynthia Wang and Maggie Wu auditioned into the first flue section of the 2016-17 Homestead High School Wind Ensemble!
- Renee Ge auditioned into the 2016-17 Miller Advanced Band!
- Joanna Lin, Kaitlin Rhee and Grace Tai all received a gold superior at CMEA State Solo competition!
- Emily Du auditioned into the 2016-17 Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Kaitlin Rhee, Caroline Sun and Stefan Vin auditioned into the 2016-17 CYS Wind Ensemble!
- Justin Au, Emily Du and Justin Wing were part of the chamber music group that received an honorable mention at 2016 MTAC VOCE Competition!
- Hannah Han auditioned into the 2016-17 SJYS Chamber Orchestra!
- Hannah Han passed MTAC CM level 7!
- Emily Du auditioned into the 2016 NFA High School Flute Choir Competition!
- Justin Au auditioned into alternate for the 2016 NFA High School Flute Choir Competition!
- Luisa Brown auditioned into principal flute of the 2016 California All-State Symphonic Band!
- Justin Wing auditioned into 3rd chair, first flute of the 2016 California All-State Symphonic Band!
- Joseph Wang made it into the 2016 Cal-Poly All-State!
- Jaclyn Chiu auditioned into assistant principal flute of the Homestead Wind Ensemble!
- Cynthia Wang auditioned into 3rd chair, first flute of the Homestead Wind Ensemble!
- Maggie Wu auditioned into 4th chair, first flute of the Homestead Wind Ensemble!
- Stefan Vin is part of a chamber music ensemble that received a superior rating and command performance at the 2016 CMEA Ensemble Festival!
- Joanna Lin and Maggie Wu are part of a chamber music ensemble that received a superior rating at the 2016 CMEA Ensemble Festival!
- Ellie Schmidt is part of a chamber music ensemble that received a superior rating at the 2016 CMEA Ensemble Festival!
- Justin Au, Emily Du and Justin Wing are part of a chamber music ensemble that received a superior rating at the 2016 CMEA Ensemble Festival!
- Justin Au, Luisa Brown, Alina Feng, Sarayu Namineni, Kaitlin Rhee, Grace Tai and Joseph Wang received a superior rating at the 2016 CMEA Solo Festival!
- Ellie Schmidt received an excellent rating at the 2016 CMEA Solo Festival!
- Emily Du made it into the Lynbrook Wind Ensemble!
- Emily Du won the 2016 Los Altos Intermediate Soloist VOCE competition!
- Justin Au, Emily Du and Justin Wing are part of the winning chamber music ensemble for 2016 Los Altos VOCE competition!
- Justin Wing and Luisa Brown made it into the 2016 California All-State bands!
- Emily Du and Justin Wing made it into the 2016 Santa Clara County Honor Band!
- Luisa Brown made it into the 2016 California All-Northern Honor Band!
- Maggie Wu passed ABRSM level 7 with merit!
- Kaitlin Rhee passed ABRSM level 7 with distinction!
- Justin Au, Grace Tai and Cynthia Wang passed ABRSM level 8!
- Emily Du received principal flute and piccolo of the 2015 Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall!
- Justin Wing won the Areon Summer Flute Institute solo competition!
- Luisa Brown, Emily Du & Jasmine Deng received a Superior rating and Command Performance at CMEA state ensemble festival!
- Cynthia Wang, Joanna Spyrou, Alina Feng and Grace Tai received a Superior rating at CMEA state ensemble festival!
- Emily Du received a Superior rating and Command Performance for piccolo at CMEA state solo festival!
- Luisa Brown received a Superior rating and Command Performance for flute at CMEA state solo festival!
- Emily Du received a Superior rating and Command Performance for flute at CMEA state solo festival!
- Allison Hsu received a Superior rating at CMEA state solo festival!
- Ian Tseng made it into the Los Altos High School Wind Ensemble!
- Luisa Brown, Emily Du & Jasmine Deng received an honorable mention at the MTAC VOCE state competition!
- Emily Du auditioned into the prestigious 2015 Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall!
Where are they now?
College placement of Plaha Flute Studio students across the world:
- Samantha Huang, New York University, NY
- Emilie Enser, UC Berkeley, CA
- Ashlee Liu, UC San Diego, CA
- Stefan Vin, Purdue University, IN
- Renee Ge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
- Caroline Sun, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
- Annabelle Flint, Haverford College, Haverford, PA
- Priscilla Goh, UC Berkeley, Santa Barbara, CA
- Emily Du, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA graduate
- Joanna Lin, MIT, Cambridge, MA graduate
- Kaitlin Rhee, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Jaclyn Chiu, UC Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Justin Au, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Maggie Wu, Brown University, Providence, RI
- Joanna Spyrou, Chapman University, Orange, CA
- Grace Tai, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Joseph Wang, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
- Luisa Brown, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA graduate
- Kelena Jue, Chapman University, Orange, CA
- Justin Wing, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Jasmine Deng, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Rajan Dutta, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Jennifer Kim, New York University, New York, NY graduate
- Daneil Petti, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY graduate
- Cindy Lin, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA graduate
- Cathy Han, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY graduate
- Katie Holliday, University of Washington, Seattle, WA graduate
- Joyce Wang, New York University, New York, NY graduate
- Mayu Nishimura, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Laura Wirth, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK*music education major graduate
- Christine Liu, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Olivia Chock, UC Davis, Davis, CA graduate
- Megan Png, UC Davis, Davis, CA graduate
- Maddy Naroff, New York University, New York, NY*music major graduate
- Audrey Cole, Washington University, St. Louis, MO graduate
- Dani Grant, New York University, New York, NY graduate
- Aja Hartman, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA graduate*music minor, graduate
- Lisa Kolm, University of Southern California, Los Angles, CA graduate
- Cynthia Wang, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA graduate
- Michelle Huang, UC Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA*music major graduate. USC for MM 2014
- Alice Li, Yale University, New Haven, CT graduate
- Alice Shen, Washington University, St. Louis, MO graduate
- Robyn Latchford, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL graduate
- Cynthia Tsai, Harvard Universtiy, Boston, MA graduate. UCSF Medical School
- Jessica Yuan, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Ibuki Kamei, Carnegie Mellon University, PIttsburgh, PA graduate
- Vivian Liu, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Jenny Chen, Stanford University Graduate School graduate, Stanford, CA
- Patti Suen, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA graduate
- Kristin Osaki, UC Santa Barbara graduate*music major
- Charlotte Tilles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA graduate
- Julie Sakagughi, UC Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA graduate
- Anna Monsma, Biola University graduate
- Emily Crafton-Williams, University of New Mexico graduate
- Jill Hall, New Mexico State University graduate
Contact me here kassey@kassey.com