Meet 2025 Teacher of the Year for Flute Erika Andres

We asked 2025 Lessonface Teacher of the Year in Flute, Erika Andres, to share insights into her journey as a flutist and educator. In this Q&A, she reflects on what first drew her to the flute, how she creates a welcoming and effective teaching environment, and the foundational skills and habits she emphasizes for student growth. She also discusses essential tools and resources, offers thoughtful guidance on goal-setting and practice, celebrates personal and student accomplishments, and looks ahead to new projects and ideas she’s excited to explore in the coming year.
 

What drew you to learning the flute? Why do you think it is popular (or perhaps should be more popular)?

When I was 10, I heard a recording of a French flute piece and remember thinking it was one of the prettiest things I had ever heard. So I eagerly chose the flute when I started 5th grade band and have been playing it and many other members of the flute family ever since! I think flute is incredibly popular because not only is it beautiful but it can also be very virtuosic. Additionally, it works well in many genres, including many modern ones as well as classical, and ensembles.  With all of these different opportunities plus the fact there are so many flutes in the flute family, the flute is always interesting and so rewarding to play!

How would you describe your teaching studio? 

I have a music room in my home where I teach and keep my "flute museum" as my family likes to call it, my dozens of flutes. I try to ensure that my studio is always a welcome and warm space and a place where I can share my musical enthusiasm. I am almost always in the right mind frame for teaching when I go in there as that is where I teach most often, so the habit of going there and the familiarity of the space keeps my teaching and playing brain on whenever I am there.

If you could gift your students one piece of automatic knowledge or ability about the flute, what would it be? 

We flute players tend to work very hard but sometimes we can be a little tense. I wish my students knew that it is ok to relax!  Lots of times, flutists feel like if they are not working really hard then they can't be doing it right, so they hold the flute with a death grip, contort their hands and bodies, and blow with so much tension that they can end up in pain after. Obviously, you shouldn't be like a blob of mashed potatoes, but flute playing should feel very natural! Ironically, often one of the hardest things for people is just to play with ease!

What’s one lasting takeaway you hope your students will carry with them from your teaching, even years from now?

I hope my students will gain a real love and appreciation for music and the flute. It can be so beneficial for your life in so many ways that I hope they never stop playing. That doesn't mean they have to study their whole life or become a professional and play hours every day, I just hope that they will always keep it in their lives in some way, shape, or form.

What are some of your most indispensable pieces of gear?

All flutists should always have emergency repair supplies! I can't tell you how many times I have had students in a panic because their flute started misbehaving right before a performance. But the good news is that many issues are easily fixable. Most of the time it just involves tweaking a screw, which is why I recommend a small screwdriver like the size you use for eyeglasses, or pushing back in a spring, which is why I recommend a spring hook. It is also good to have a little headjoint fitting tape (or Scotch tape in an emergency) in case the joints of the flute get loose.

Anything you'd like to share about yours or your student’s accomplishments from 2025?

I have several projects in the works that I am excited to share with my students. I am working on videos and practice resources as well as another book and composing some study pieces.  I love getting to create things and love it even more when what I make helps my students at the same time! One of my personal accomplishments this year was the completion of my second storybook for my young (or young at heart) students, "Flutie and Pickle's Journey Through Time." I actually just finished it, and it will be available before the end of 2025. I am looking forward to another book which is in the works for next year.

I am very proud of all that my students have accomplished this year! I appreciate all of their progress, whether it is for performances or auditions or just to become better at their instrument.  

Do you have guidance for goal-setting for flute students, or generally?

The end of the year/beginning of the new year is a great time to start planning for the year ahead. I like to encourage my students to create long-term goals (at least one month long but potentially much longer) and break them down into short-term goals (less than one month). I created a goal chart I let my students use to brainstorm, but really you can do this with just a piece of paper and a pencil (or its digital equivalent). Goals will be different for each individual student, but one thing I hope they all gain in 2026 and every year is a greater love of flute and music overall, which I believe is the most important thing.

Is there anything else you would like to share with potential students about the flute?

There are so many different avenues for growth and exploration in the flute world!  It is very easy to get bogged down on one goal or genre for example, so I hope students will take some time to look into a new genre, play a new kind of flute, explore a new technique, or any of the many other possibilities.  I still constantly try to do this myself, and I find that the more I learn, the more things that are out there that I want to learn next.  I hope you never stop exploring, and wishing you a great new year ahead! 

If you are interested in learning more about Erika or would like to book a lesson with her, please visit her Lessonface profile here. 

Also, be sure to check out all of Lessonface’s 2025 Teachers of the Year here!