Nina Assimakopoulos
Internationally acclaimed flutist Nina Assimakopoulos has been guiding the next generation of flutists, music educators, and arts entrepreneurs as a flute professor, professional career coach, and masterclass presenter for more than 25 years. She approaches her teaching with a supportive and joyous spirit, informed by her work as a flutist and interdisciplinary artist whose performances are focused on connecting people, place, and culture through musical storytelling.
Professor Assimakopoulos’ studio at West Virginia University is known for vibrant pedagogy, interactive teaching styles, and a welcoming environment for students pursuing diverse fields of study, including undergraduate and graduate work in flute performance, music education, music therapy, music business and industry, and multidisciplinary studies. Throughout her career as a flute professor, her students have won prizes in more than 200 international competitions as well as prestigious research awards and grants including the Fulbright award. For the last 18 years, her studio has maintained a 100% job placement rate for graduating music education majors. Her students have won tenure track teaching positions at universities internationally and in the United States and each graduate of her flute studio who has entered masters and doctoral degree programs in flute performance in the last 18 years has done so with full assistantships and fellowships to support their continuing education.
Professor Assimakopoulos is held in high esteem as a leading voice in contemporary flute performance, having commissioned over 100 works for the Western concert flute and recorded eight solo albums of new flute repertoire. Following a long-time commitment to both traditional and experimental performance, movement, and multimedia concert experiences, her newest work merges performance art with environmental awareness and cultural expression. Her eco-performances are immersive sound experiences that blend original compositions, field recordings, regional storytelling, and handmade instruments crafted from natural Appalachian resources.
Professor Assimakopoulos has toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America as a performing artist and masterclass/workshop presenter, giving over 700 performances and masterclasses throughout her career. She has appeared in solo recitals at international music festivals and in concert venues across the globe, including Carnegie Hall, the Alden Theater Rising Stars Concert Series, the Dame Myra Hess Radio Broadcast Concert Series, and the Live from Hochstein radio broadcast series. She is the recipient of international grants and awards from organizations including the Aaron Copland Fund, the Fulbright Commission, and the National Society of Arts and Letters, and most recently was honored with the 2024 West Virginia University Benedum Distinguished Scholars Award for life-time research achievement.
Professor Assimakopoulos studied with Peter Lloyd at the Indiana University School of Music and Paul Meisen at the Academy for Music and Theater in Munich, Germany.