Brittany Salkill
Flutist and Teacher
How did I start making flute bags?
Back in the early 2000's, I vividly remember telling one of my flute friends during a band practice that the designer Vera Bradley should make instrument cases (Vera Bradley was at it's peak in popularity then). Fast forward a couple of years, I'm bored with classic black flute cases, and tired of waiting on Vera Bradley to make my dreams come true, so I took matters into my own hands. In my cramped college apartment I started teaching myself to sew with YouTube tutorials and my grandmother's workhorse of a sewing machine from 1960's Berlin. I made a few different prototypes then and within a couple years, armed with a sewing machine of my own, I began designing custom flute case covers, traverso rolls, carrying bags, and resting pads. If interested in a product, let me know here!
Flutist-Teacher-Creator
Brittany is a Kennesaw based freelance flutist, teacher, and creator. She has enjoyed teaching privately for the past 14 years. Students of hers have participated in All-state and other regional honor bands in both Georgia and Tennessee. As well as successfully auditioning into university music programs to begin their own music careers. Brittany believes that anyone can enjoy playing the flute, and is looking forward to expanding her studio to include very young and adult students.
Currently, Brittany performs with the Lagrange Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Wind Symphony. She is a substitute flutist for several local and regional orchestras and is an active freelancer on both silver and baroque flute around the southeast.
Brittany began playing baroque flute at the Wildacres Flute Retreat in 2013 under the instruction of Amara Guitry. She immediately fell in love with the instrument and historical performance, bought a baroque flute later that summer, and has been playing ever since! She has studied under flutists Stephen Preston, Amara Guitry, and Jessica Dunnavant.
With a passion for building community, Brittany serves on the board of the Atlanta Flute Club as their corporate liaison. Her position serves as a bridge between the AFC and their corporate membership which includes flute makers, sheet music distributors, composers, local music stores, and instrument technicians.
Brittany received her Master of Music in Flute Performance from Middle Tennessee State University where she studied under Dr. Deanna Little and Dr. Celine Thackston. In addition to her studies on the modern flute, Brittany also studied the Baroque flute with Dr. Jessica Dunnavant. While at MTSU, she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with both the woodwind department and the band program. Prior to her time at MTSU, Brittany attended Georgia Southern University where she obtained her Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance under the instruction of Anna Thibeault. GSU offered a host of performance opportunities and is where Brittany fell in love with opera and musical theater.
With a lifelong love for crafting, Brittany designs and creates custom flute case covers, traverso rolls, flute bags, and resting pads.
when did I start playing the flute?
I first layed eyes on a flute at my friend Tim's house when I was about 7 or 8. His mom had one out in their spare room, possibly just as a decoration, and I fiddled around with it from time to time. Tim's mom taught me a couple of notes, but I never thought much of it and eventually went on to take piano lessons for a short time. Jump to middle school, the day where you try out all the band instruments comes around and I was immediately able to make a sound on the flute (big thank you to Tim's mom). I believe my band director said something along the lines of, " well, you should definitely play flute" and that was that.
