:About Elaine:

Born and raised in Edison, New Jersey, Elaine knows good pizza. Accompanying that pizza was always a buffet of music introduced to her by her loved ones at a young age. Artists ranging from Eva Ayllón to Faithless to Mozart to Héctor Lavoe accompanied Elaine through her adolescence, shaping her fluid musical tastes. Raised in a bilingual, multigenerational Peruvian, Puerto Rican, and American household, Elaine’s earliest memories of music are intertwined with the delicious aromas of sofritos y guisitos.

Elaine began her musical exploration and formal training at the age of nine through handbells, singing, and flute. While attending North Hunterdon High School, her musical growth was nurtured by incredible educators Perry Andrews and Vincent Angeline, as well as her first flute teacher, Stella Chui. Elaine went on to attend West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where she studied flute performance with the incomparable Dr. Kimberly Reighley. Her journey then brought her to Boston Conservatory, where she earned a Master of Music in Performance while studying with the incredible contemporary music specialist Sarah Brady. She then continued her flute studies at Washington State University with the marvelous Dr. Sophia Tegart, earning a Master of Arts in Music with a focus on pedagogy and ethnomusicology.

Just before and throughout the pandemic, Elaine worked at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She was hired as a business office assistant and was quickly promoted to Program Coordinator for the Jacobs Academy. Elaine left Indiana University to attend the University of Oregon on a full scholarship and teaching assistantship, where she studies with powerhouse flutist Dr. Jackie Cordova while pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts.

She is expected to graduate in Spring 2027.

Outside of her studies, Elaine serves as conductor of WEST WINDS FLUTE CHOIR, the Eugene Community Flute Choir, which has been making music together since 1995. She performs as a substitute flutist with the Eugene Symphony Orchestra and Eugene Concert Choir, and occasionally appears as assistant principal flutist with the Corvallis-OSU Symphony alongside her OSU colleague, Jill Pauls.

As of 2025, Elaine is one of two adjunct flute instructors at Oregon State University.

GO BEAVS!