Catherine Zolkos
(she/her)
INSTRUCTOR
Catherine Zolkos is an accomplished flutist, pianist, vocalist, and educator based in the Boston area. She holds a Flute Performance Diploma (2025) and a Master of Music in Flute Performance (2023) from Boston University, as well as a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Flute Performance from Wayne State University (2021).
An award-winning performer, Catherine was awarded first prize in the Opus International Music Competition in 2026 and won the prestigious Boston University Carnegie Hall Competition, earning her solo flute debut at Carnegie Hall. She was the winner of the 2019 Wayne State Concerto Competition and a finalist in both the 44th and 45th James Pappoutsakis Memorial Flute Competitions, receiving the second-place William H. Grass Award in 2025. Additionally, as a member of the wind quintet The Quintuplets, she advanced to the finals of the Boston University Chamber Competition.
Catherine maintains an active and versatile freelance career that balances performing as a flutist and as a vocalist and pianist. She has performed on flute with several ensembles including the Du Bois Orchestra, the Boston Chamber Symphony, and the Star of the Sea Orchestra, and has spent summers performing with the Ohio Light Opera and the Plymouth Notch Summer Orchestra. Her international performance experience includes appearances with the Wayne State Camerata in Italy and the International Symphony Orchestra in Sarnia, Canada. As a chamber musician, she has collaborated with artists from the Detroit Opera House and Ohio Light Opera and co-founded the Emerald Summer Players chamber concert series in 2026. Catherine has appeared as a featured soloist with orchestras in both Detroit and Italy and is also the Music Director at the Catholic Center at Boston University, where she enjoys playing piano and singing, along with dabbling on the organ.
In addition to her performing career, Catherine is a dedicated educator with nearly eight years of teaching experience at prestigious educational institutions, like her alma mater, Boston University.
Birthday – August 27
Schools Attended – Wayne State University and Boston University
Instruments You Teach – Piano, flute, piccolo, voice
Favorite Music to Perform – Classical music – works by Debussy. Other music – anything with a Celtic flare
Favorite Music to Listen to – A large variety of things, but especially Celtic Woman
Something most people don’t know about you – I performed internationally in Italy and Canada when I was 19 years old.
Other hobbies & interests – I love camping with my family and going for walks to smell the flowers
Where you were born & grew up – Northville, Michigan
Heroes – My mom and dad, for being the most selfless, caring, and hardworking people I know!
Practice Tip – Music is easier to play when you understand the music theory behind it. Take the time to learn and understand chords and scales, and your life will be so much easier whenever learning a new piece!