Headshots by Allison Davis

Headshots by Allison Davis

 

Currently based in Iowa City, Iowa, Bolivian-American flutist Cris Dohler Rodas has been described as a polished performer with "such a delightfully rich sound!" (Valerie Coleman, flutist & composer). Originally from Silver Spring, MD, Cris began their flute journey at the age of 15, teaching themselves by following along with James Galway videos. After that, their flute education led them to study at Frostburg State University (MD) with Dr. Keith Hanlon from 2014-2016, Dr. Carolyn Oh of Montgomery College (MD) from 2016-2017, and they finally earned their Bachelor's degree in flute performance from the University of Maryland, College Park with Dr. Sarah Frisof in 2019. In 2021, they graduated with their Master's in flute performance from Bowling Green State University where they studied with Dr. Conor Nelson and Jeff Zook. During their school years, they performed with regional orchestras and were a First Prize winner of the Flute Society of Washington's Collegiate Soloist Competition, and Second Prize winner of both the Flute Society of Washington and Montana Flute Association's Young Artist Competitions.

Dedicated to decolonizing the classical music space, Cris is focused on uplifting the voices of marginalized communities through their work. In 2022, they self-released their first EP titled "In Memory Of" - this project is a collection of four newly commissioned works for flute/clarinet/piano and flute/piano combinations, all framed as a reflection on the social turmoil that we experienced during the COVID pandemic and Summer of 2020. Currently, Cris is focusing on how to decolonize their pedagogy through workshops with local flute studios and beginning the process of their next full-length album recording project.