December 10, 2024
Melanie Keller is a highly experienced flute teacher based in Meridian, Idaho, teaching at the Dunkley School of Music. She brings decades of experience in performance, touring, and teaching to her students. As a sought-after performer and educator, Melanie Keller is the premier flute teacher in Idaho, offering expert instruction to students of all levels.
Melanie currently serves as Principal Flutist with both the Vallejo Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Napa Valley. She has also performed in principal roles with the St. Peter’s Chamber Orchestra, Nova Vista Symphony, and others. Her work includes performances with the Boise Philharmonic, Santa Rosa, Solano, and Monterey Symphonies, as well as opera and ballet companies throughout California.
Melanie has performed in major venues around the world, including Berlin Philharmonie, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, and Avery Fisher Hall in New York. She toured with the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra under the direction of renowned conductors like Kurt Masur and Carlos Kalmar, where she represented the U.S. as the only American woodwind player during the 2000–2001 season.
She has been a featured soloist with multiple orchestras. One of her standout performances, Fantaisie by Gabriel Fauré with the Vallejo Symphony, aired on KDFC 90.3FM and KZCT 89.5FM.
Melanie is a founding member of The Avenue Winds, a Bay Area-based quintet dedicated to performing new works by living composers. She has won 1st place in the Mid-Atlantic Flute Fair Young Artist Competition and placed in national contests hosted by the National Flute Association, Flute Society of Kentucky, and Madison Flute Festival.
Melanie earned her Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory, where she studied with Timothy Day. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Peabody Institute, studying under Mark Sparks. Other mentors include Laurie Sokoloff, Sara Nichols, and Gail Cameron.
Before relocating to Idaho, she taught at respected schools including Bridgepoint Music, Myriad Music School, and St. Matthew Catholic School, where she served for 13 years.
Now teaching at Dunkley School of Music in Meridian, Melanie Keller helps students of all ages grow in both skill and confidence. Her lessons focus on tone quality, expression, and stage presence, creating a strong foundation for both recreational players and advanced musicians.
When she’s not teaching or performing, Melanie enjoys life in Idaho with her husband, Blaise, and their two sons, Owen and Jacob.