Katie Mess is active as a performer in the Central Florida area in orchestral, chamber, and solo settings. A Florida native, she holds degrees in flute performance and music theory from Rollins College (BA) and the University of Colorado at Boulder (MM), and is currently studying at the University of Central Florida in flute performance (MA) where she is also a Graduate Teaching Associate in music theory. Her primary instructors in flute are Robin Etter and Nora Lee Garcia. During her time as a graduate student in Colorado, Katie was a founding member of the Colorado New Music Ensemble, an organization dedicated to providing cultural enrichment opportunities by performing music written solely by still-living composers with a preference for American compositions. With this ensemble, she had the pleasure of playing flute, alto flute, and piccolo on the North American Premiere of Nico Muhly’s Drones, Variations, Ornaments. Since returning to Florida, Katie enjoys playing with the Bach Festival Orchestra of Winter Park and the New Score Chamber Orchestra as second flutist, regularly performing on the masterworks for orchestra and choir as well as premiering new compositions. In addition to performance engagements, Katie serves as adjunct instructor of flute at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fl.
