Samantha Flores

An active teacher and performer, Samantha Flores has performed in concerts widely in Mexico, the United States, Europe, and South America.

Samantha has been featured as faculty and assisting staff at the Western Illinois University String Summer Camp, Four Seasons Chamber Music Institute, NC Suzuki Association StateWide Play-In and the North Carolina Suzuki Institute at East Carolina University. She has worked with string students of the University of Maryland Repertory Orchestra, the Eastern Preparatory Youth Orchestra, and the NC Suzuki Institute student orchestras. Samantha has taught in outreach programs of Eastern North Carolina like Bath Elementary violin program, the West Side Side Strings School and Third Street Education Center.

Samantha has always expressed an interest in growing with local communities. In Mexico, she worked as a string instructor and general music teacher for “El Sistema project” and “Club de niños y niñas de Mexico, A.C.” (Boys and Girls Club of Mexico), and in San Diego, CA for “Opus Community Project”, a string outreach program through the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory. Her other community outreach collaborations include chamber music performances in public schools with “the Concert Truck” and the 2017-2018 Artist Residency at Collington Retirement Community in Bowie, MD, where her service was recognized in the New York Times as an “an intergenerational program, bringing purpose to the young and old.” Samantha is a strong advocate for the arts and she is passionate for using music as a changing force to bring together the local community.

Samantha received her Bachelor of Music from Western Illinois University and her Master of Music in performance from the University of Maryland – College Park. She recently completed her second Master of Music in cello and Suzuki pedagogy with Emanuel Gruber and Joanne Bath at East Carolina University. Samantha has taught privately and held strings clinics in Tijuana (Mexico), Illinois, Maryland, Washington D.C., and North Carolina.

Ms. Flores currently holds a String Teaching Artist Fellowship with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra OrchKids , and holds a cello faculty position at the International School of Music in Washington, D.C.

Samantha is passionate about giving her students agency and a voice in the phenomenon of change in music, and building creative ways of cultivating social justice through music.