Manhattan School of Music
2024-25 Flute Studio
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Jocilyn Braun
BM ‘27
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Lorien Britt
BM ‘26
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Hyomin Lee
BM ‘28
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Zofia Los Leznicka
BM ‘25
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Xinyi Liu
MM ‘25
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Megan McCafferty
MM ‘25
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Julie Park
MM ‘23, PPD ‘26
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Lucy Rubin
MM ‘25
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Can 'Olivia' Xu
MM ‘26
MSM Flute Studio Biographies
Jocelyn Braun (BM ‘27)
Jocylin Braun, a flutist from Sunnyvale, California, has completed her freshman year at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. She has played flute since fifth grade and studies with Professor Linda Chesis. Currently, she is second flute in the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra, led by Mr. Andrew J Kim. Previously, she was co-principal flute of the Golden State Youth Orchestra’s Senior Symphony during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons and toured Europe with them in 2022.
Jocylin has won several competitions, including the American Protege International Concerto Competition, which led to a performance at Carnegie Hall in December 2022. She has also received first-place awards in the US International Open Music Competition and Great Composers International Competition. In February 2023, she performed as Principal Flute of the Honor Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.
Jocylin has attended prestigious summer institutes, such as Le Domaine Forget De Charlevoix's Flute Intensive, The Juilliard School's Summer Winds Program, and the California Orchestra Academy, where she played principal flute on Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. She has studied under renowned flutists, including Emmanuel Pahud, Sir James Galway, and Jim Walker. Jocylin also shares her passion for music by teaching young students in New York City.
This summer, she will attend Brevard's Flute Seminar and the Imani Wind Chamber Music Festival and tour Greece with the New York Youth Symphony. Jocylin looks forward to continuing her musical journey and gaining new experiences.
Lorien Britt (BM ‘26)
Lorien Britt is a junior undergraduate at the Manhattan School of Music, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Classical Flute Performance as a student of Linda Chesis. Lorien has studied the flute for nine years and plays on a Miyazawa Vision. She is originally from Dallas, Texas, where she studied flute with Claire Johnson. Lorien has performed for several world-renowned flutists, such as Jasmine Choi, Paul Edmund-Davies, James Galway, Lorna McGhee, Marina Piccinini, and Jim Walker. Lorien was recently awarded first prize in the 2024 Oklahoma Flute Society Collegiate Competition, the 2024 Central Ohio Flute Association Collegiate Competition, the 2023 Colorado Flute Association Young Artist Competition, and the 2023 Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia Collegiate Competition, as well as second prize in the 2023 Raleigh Area Flute Association Artist Competition, the 2023 Austin Flute Society Collegiate Young Artist Competition, and the Woodwind Division of MSM’s 2023 Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition. She attended the 2023 Texas Music Festival as an Orchestral Fellow, where she was awarded second prize in the Cynthia Woods Mitchell - Ima Hogg Concerto Competition. Lorien was also a featured soloist with the MSM Symphony Orchestra, performing Martin’s Concerto for 7 Winds in April 2023 under the direction of Leonard Slatkin.
Hyomin Lee (BM ‘28)
Hyomin Lee was born in South Korea in July 2006. She graduated from Kaywon Art Middle School in 2021 and left Kaywon Art High School in her first year to be homeschooled. In her last month of middle school, she met Gloria Jeeeun Park, her mentor, who greatly helped her improve her musical abilities. In 2021, Hyomin won the grand prize in the Rising Star competition and first prize at the American Protégé woodwind and brass competition. In 2023, she won first prize in the Music Education newspaper and Universal Music competitions, as well as second prize in the Music Journal and New York International competitions. Hyomin was also selected as one of the eight finalists in the NFA Competition.
She has participated in masterclasses with renowned flutists such as Philip Junt, Juergen Franz, Henrik Wiese, iMarina Piccinini, Davide Formisano, and Catherine Ransom Karoly and is preparing for her Bachelor's degree at MSM this fall under Professor Linda Chesis. Hyomin aspires to play in an orchestra and provide heartwarming music to help heal people's mental and physical health.
Zofia Los Leznicka (BM ‘25)
Zofia Los Leznicka, who goes by Zosia, is, a Polish-American flutist, began her education at the music school in Warsaw under Maria Peradzynska, a professor at the Chopin Music Conservatory. In 2019, she received the Frederick Fennell Scholarship to attend Interlochen Arts Camp, where she excelled and continued her studies with Nancy Stagnitta at the Interlochen Arts Academy. During her time there, she performed with the New World Symphony and the Interlochen Academy Orchestra, participated in a masterclass with Sir James Galway, and was named a National YoungArts Foundation Finalist in 2021. She graduated with a Fine Arts award.
Zofia performed as the principal flutist in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" at the Mezzano Festival in Italy. She then pursued her bachelor's degree at the Manhattan School of Music under Linda Chesis. In 2023-24, she studied at the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, performing in Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" and a concert for the Queen of Denmark. Her primary mentors include Linda Chesis, Nancy Stagnitta, Ulla Miilmann, Maria Peradzynska, and Agnieszka Prosowska.
Returning to the Manhattan School of Music, Zofia is eager to share her experiences from Denmark. She aspires to play in opera orchestras, where the flute can be an extension of the human voice.
Xinyi Liu (MM ‘25)
Xinyi Liu is an accomplished flutist who began her musical journey in 2007 at the Xiamen Music School. With the school orchestra, she had the opportunity to perform in Australia, Taiwan and throughout China. In 2019, She was admitted into the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing where she studied with Professor Zhaorong Chen. She participated in the China Youth Philharmonic Orchestra as the principal flute player and piccolo player. She performed in solo and ensemble works, competitions and masterclasses at the National Center for the Performing Arts, Tsinghua University, Shanxi Grand Theatre, among other venues. When She graduated, she won the honor of outstanding graduate of Beijing.
In 2023, she received a scholarship to attend the Manhattan School of Music where she studies with Professor Linda Chesis.
Megan McCafferty (MM ‘25)
Megan McCafferty is a NYC-based flutist originally from Texas studying at Manhattan School of Music with Linda Chesis. She made her Carnegie Hall Solo-Debut at age 17 as a first prize winner of the Alexander and Buono International Flute Competition. Megan graduated from Boston Conservatory in 2023 with her Bachelors of Music in flute performance and a minor in instrument repair at Berklee College of Music. She additionally studied at Interlochen Arts Academy and graduated in 2019. Her past teachers include Sarah Brady, Diana Morgan, Nancy Stagnitta, and Terri Sundberg. Megan recently premiered Julia Wolfe’s flute choir “Oxygen” at the 2022 National Flute Association Convention in Chicago, IL. She is passionate about chamber music and co-founded her wind quintet, Hydra Winds, which is coached by Valerie Coleman. In addition to her studies, Megan works as the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator at Flutistry.
Julie Park (MM ‘23, PPD ‘26)
Julie Park is a versatile flutist from Seoul, South Korea, who excels in both performing and teaching. Since arriving in the United States in 2011, she has studied at Interlochen Arts Academy, where she frequently served as principal flutist of the Academy Orchestra and received a Fine Arts award. Julie has performed at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall during the 2016 New York Philharmonic Biennial, premiering works by Nico Muhly and Jennifer Higdon.
She has participated in masterclasses with renowned flutists such as Sharon Sparrow, Judith Mendenhall, Paula Robison, Mary Karen Clardy, James Galway, Jasmine Choi, and Jennifer Grim. In addition to performing, Julie works in arts administration and is currently an administrative coordinator at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division.
Julie holds a Bachelor's degree in Flute Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music. She will be pursuing her Professional Performance Diploma at MSM this fall. Her primary flute teachers and lifelong mentors include Myung Joo Ahn, Nancy Stagnitta, Sarah Brady, and Linda Chesis.
Lucy Rubin (MM ‘25)
Lucy Rubin, from Highland Park, Illinois, is an NYC-based flutist, music theorist, and educator currently pursuing a Master of Music in Classical Flute under Linda Chesis at the Manhattan School of Music. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, most recently receiving third prize in the 2024 Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia Young Artist Competition. In 2021, she won the Rome Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition and placed second in the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artists Competition. Additionally, Lucy is a 2022 Presser Scholar, a prestigious national award honoring exceptional music students. In April 2024, she had the honor of traveling to Middelburg, Netherlands, to be the only flutist from the United States participating in Mostly Modern Festival, The Netherlands. In addition to her classical flute studies, Lucy plays the baroque flute, researches topics in music theory and music history, ranging from the music of WWII to Joni Mitchell, and is also currently working towards a certificate in flute repair from the Colorado Institute of Musical Instrument Technology. Prior to studying with Ms. Chesis, Lucy received her Bachelor of Music degrees in Performance and Music Theory from the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music as a First Honors Graduate), studying under Angela Jones-Reus. Lucy is passionate about studying and performing new music and music by underrepresented and forbidden composers, as demonstrated in her recital programming and music theory research.
Can ‘Olivia’ Xu (MM ‘26)
Can ‘Olivia’ Xu, born in 1999 in Nanjing, China, began playing the flute at age 8. From 2009 to 2016, she studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in China under Professor Ling Li. In 2015, she toured Europe as the first flute in the Youth Symphony of CCOM under conductor Xincao Li.
In 2016, Olivia moved to the U.S. to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, studying with Ms. Sara Andon for three years. In 2019, she was admitted to the Manhattan School of Music for her undergraduate degree in Ms. Linda Chesis' studio. Olivia actively participated in various music festivals and competitions, including the Atlantic Music Festival, Chinese Flute Association Competitions, Hong Kong Music Festival, and Singapore International Music Festival.
Olivia is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music under Ms. Linda Chesis.