Roya Farzaneh thrives as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral artist, currently performing in the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina regions. She serves as principal flutist with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, 2nd/piccolo for the Symphony of the Mountains, and 2nd/piccolo of the Brevard Philharmonic. She has frequently performed with many southeast regional orchestras including the Rock Hill Symphony, Western Piedmont Symphony, Long Bay Symphony, Aiken Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, and has previously served as second flute with the Guelph Symphony Orchestra in Ontario, Canada.
Farzaneh's artistic accomplishments have earned her recognition as a prize winner or finalist in numerous renowned solo flute competitions, including the National Flute Association, the Texas Flute Society’s Myrna Brown Artist Competition, and several regional organizations such as the Central Ohio, South Carolina, and Kentucky Flute Societies. Her summer residencies have included the National Music Festival, Hot Springs Music Festival, the Monteux School, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
Farzaneh is deeply committed to teaching and has served as adjunct professor of flute at East Tennessee State University and Presbyterian College. She also led community engagement efforts as artistic director of the ETSU Community Music School and conductor of Flute Loops, a Columbia-based adult flute ensemble under the Congaree New Horizons initiative.
Being an Iranian-American flutist, Farzaneh has a passion for exploring new and diverse repertoire. She has collaborated with several female-identifying Iranian composers and has had the honor of presenting her research of works for flute by Iranian women around the country. Her dissertation titled "An Annotated Bibliography of Works by Iranian Female Composers" was selected as the winner of the 2024 National Flute Association Graduate Research Competition. She has presented a variety of recitals and lectures at conferences for the Mid-South Flute Society, Mid-Atlantic Flute Society, National Flute Association, Florida Flute Association, South Carolina Flute Society, and the Flute New Music Consortium.
Farzaneh has also presented lectures on physical and mental wellness at several national conferences. Drawing from her experience as a personal trainer, she incorporates evidence-based research to provide insight on how we use our bodies as flutist and exercises that can help prevent injuries. Farzaneh actively integrates mindfulness practices into her pedagogy, fostering a holistic approach to musicianship that addresses both physical and mental well-being.
Farzaneh earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from The University of South Carolina, where she studied with Dr. Jennifer Parker-Harley. She completed her Master of Music from The University of Akron with George Pope and her Bachelor of Music from Middle Tennessee State University with Dr. Deanna Little. Along with her academic studies, Farzaneh spent time in the United Kingdom studying with Trevor Wye.
