Calisa Hildebrand
Flute Instructor

They say good things come to those who wait. Well, here at BWSM, we have been waiting for Calisa to move to the Bay Area for the past year. Finally the wait is over! Calisa, meaning “California Lisa,” was born in Southern California and has gradually made her way up the coast.

Calisa started playing the flute at the age of 10 and hasn’t stopped since! Her passion for music and teaching brought her to Cal State Long Beach, where she received a double major in Music Performance and Music Education, as well as a minor in Marketing. There, she received a strong pedagogical foundation from her studies with Dr. John Barcellona, Rena Urso-Trapani and Darrin Thaves. Calisa went on to receive her Master’s degree from UC Santa Barbara, where she honed her musicianship and artistry with Jill Felber. As the teaching assistant, Calisa had a full private studio, led the university flute choir, and was given the “Distinguished Performer” award. She also became a licensed Kindermusik instructor, and thusly had the privilege of teaching students all the way from 3 months to 65 years old! Calisa is attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She is a candidate for the Professional Studies Diploma, in which she has the incredible opportunity of studying with Timothy Day, the principal of the San Francisco Symphony.

Depending on the student, lessons range from half an hour to a full hour, and cover the following material: warm-ups, scales, etudes, solo material, duets, sight-reading and orchestral repertoire. The lessons are catered the individual needs of the student. All students are expected to work hard, but have a great time doing it! Music is, and should be, an enjoyable experience. While it is certainly important to work hard and challenge yourself on a daily basis, it is also necessary to remember why we do music: because we love it! Expect to have a fun and challenging lesson while you are studying with Calisa.