Bio

Mari Kamikura, originally from Japan, is a freelance flutist residing in Memphis, Tennessee. Mari maintains a private flute studio with beginner to intermediate-level students in the Mid-South area. She has also instructed flute students at both public and private high schools, successfully guiding many of them to pursue music majors in college.

She worked for an in-school program as a teaching artist fellow at the Memphis Music Initiative where she visited the public middle school's band classes to teach not only music but also to expand the opportunities to the young talented students to get involved into the Memphis music educational programs.

As a performer, She appears with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as a substitute flute and piccolo. She is dedicated to maintaining a high quality of performance that reflects her commitment to teaching.

She truly loves the Memphis music scene and works for PRIZM ensemble as operation manager, production staff at Crosstown Arts and admin/flute instructor for We Want Music! Foundation. Mari received a bachelor's degree in flute performance from Missouri State University and completed a master’s degree in flute performance at the University of Memphis where she also served as graduate assistant. Her primary flute teachers include Elise Blatchford, Jill Heyboer, Hideki Nakajyo and Michiko Kitahara.