Dr. Townes Osborn Miller, Associate Professor of Music, currently serves on the faculty of Mott Community College (MI), teaching courses in music, and coordinates the outreach and music program for the division. She serves as the adjunct flute instructor at Saginaw Valley State University (MI) and also conducts the SVSU Flute Choir. She has also served on the faculties of Northwest Missouri State University, Washburn University and Kansas City Kansas Community College.
Dr. Miller performs regularly for Saginaw Valley State University, Mott Community College, St. Cecilia Society, First Presbyterian Church Concert Series and others. She has been the featured soloist with the St. Matthias Chamber Orchestra (NC), the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association Guild (TN), Kansas City Flute Choir (KS) and with Midland Adventist Academy (KS). As a recitalist, Dr. Miller performs regularly in Flint and Saginaw, MI area and the Kansas City area. She also performs with the We Three Trio (flute, oboe, bassoon) in North Carolina. Dr. Miller has performed recitals and/or given master classes for Mott Community College (MI), Saginaw Valley State University (MI), St. Cecilia Society (MI), Pittsburg State University (KS), Western Carolina University (NC), Prairie Winds (KS), and Graceland University (IA). In addition, she has performed with the Saginaw Eddy Band (MI), St. Joseph Symphony, Overland Park Orchestra, St. Joseph Symphony Municipal Band, Kansas City Puccini Arts Festival, Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Psalmfest for the Historic Northeast Cultural Arts Commission, and the Asheville (NC) Choral Society.
Dr. Miller is a member of the National Flute Association and served as the volunteer coordinator for the 2008 convention and since 2015 has served as the permanent volunteer coordinator, College Music Society, Southeast Michigan Flute Association, Phi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, and has served on the Board of the Kansas City Flute Association. She also served on the Inspirational Grant Committee for ArtsKC (Kansas City), for three years. Currently, Dr. Miller serves on the Whiting Council (Flint) as chair.
Dr. Miller has performed in master classes, both in the United States and England, with William Bennett, Clare Southworth, Goran Marcusson, Alexa Still, George Pope and Jim Walker. She has had lessons with Charles DeLaney, Stephen Preston, Michie Bennett, John Bailey and Jonathan Snowden.
As a teacher, Dr. Miller brings more than two decades of experience to each lesson. She has served as an adjudicator for the Southeast Michigan Flute Association Flute Competition, Flint Institute of Music auditions, KSHSAA State Music Festival, Missouri and Kansas District Band Auditions, and Western Carolina University’s Honors’ Band. In addition Dr. Miller has taught master classes for the Prairie Winds Festival (KS), Western Carolina University flute studio and high school master classes in North Carolina and Georgia. She has been the Flute Camp ensemble conductor for the Northwest Missouri State flute camp and assistant teacher and coordinator for two years with Dr. Eldred Spell’s Master Class in North Carolina.
Dr. Miller’s students have won auditions and competitions in both North Carolina and Kansas City. Her student’s have placed in the top three for the Kansas City Symphony concerto competition, the Sunflower Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Center, participated (at all levels) in the Youth Symphonies in Kansas City and North Carolina, District and State Bands (KS, MO & NC), Western Carolina University Honor’s Band (NC), KCFA Honor’s Recitals’ (KC), University of Nebraska Winds and Percussion Festival, Mid America Music Association (KC), Kansas City Youth Symphony Flute Choir, Governor’s School for Music (NC), and the Oklahoma Flute Fair – Jim Walker Master Class and the Kansas City Flute Association Flute Day -Leone Buyse Master Class. Dr. Miller’s students have successfully been accepted to Music Schools across the country for Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music programs.
Dr. Miller holds a DMA from the University of Kansas in flute performance. She studied under the instruction of David Fedele. She received her BA and MA at Western Carolina University; where she studied with Dr. Eldred Spell and also held a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.