Internationally acclaimed flutist Nina Assimakopoulos has been hailed as "...a marvel!" (Münchner Merkur), and a versatile virtuoso with a “dramatic sense of pacing” who demonstrates "not just perfect technique and total breath control but supreme intelligent, elegant phrasing; broad tone color; lyricism; a full range of dynamic expression; and above all STYLE that paints the differences from Bach to Bartok…” (American Record Guide).
A champion of contemporary music, Nina Assimakopoulos is credited with over 83 national and world-premiere performances and new work commissions, as well as multimedia collaborative projects and concerts integrating baroque through contemporary flute music with visual and digital arts, dance, and theater. She has toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America as a performing artist and masterclass presenter. Her five solo CDs, include Vayu, Multi-cultural Flute Solos from the Twenty-First Century, which was elected into the first round of the Grammy nominations for Best Classical Solo Instrumental 2015.
Assimakopoulos has performed with the Munich City Opera, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Academy Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared as a featured recital soloist at Carnegie Hall, New York; the Alden Theater “Rising Stars” Concert Series in Washington, D.C.; the “Dame Myra Hess” Radio Broadcast Concert Series, Chicago, Illinois; and the “Live from Hochstein” Radio Broadcast Concert Series, Rochester, New York in addition to numerous contemporary music festivals including the AmBul New Music Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria and the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYCEMF). She is the recipient of grants and awards from the Aaron Copland Fund for New Music Recording, the Fulbright Foundation, the National Society of Arts and Letters, and the Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Endowment.
As a teacher, Assimakopoulos has taught as a professor of flute performance for over 15 years and appears frequently as a masterclass clinician at universities, conservatories, and festivals across the globe.
Her students have achieved acclaim as finalists and prize winners in many national and international competitions including: the Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition, Paris (First Prize); the South Carolina Flute Society Young Artist Competition, (First Prize); Great Composers Competition Series in the Art of Woodwind and Brass, (First Prize); Sigma Alpha Iota Graduate Competition (First Prize); Golden Classical International Music Competition (First Prize); Oklahoma Flute Society Young Artist Competition (First Prize); Music Teacher National Association High School and Collegiate competitions (First Prize, Second and Third Prizes); the Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition, Salzburg, (Second prize); the Alexander Buono International Flute Competition (Second Prize); the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Competition, Vienna, (Second Prize); the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition; International Flute Competition Haifa-Galilee, Israel; International Intermusica Concerto Competition, Austria; the Kentucky Flute Association Duo and Young Artist Competition (Third Prize); Byron Hester Young Artist Competition; Rochester Flute Association Young Artist Competition; Flute Society of Washington Young Artist competition; the MidSouth Young Artist Competition; Mid-Atlantic Flute Association Collegiate and Young Artist Competitions; the Southeast Michigan Flute Association Young Artist Competition; the Fischoff Competition; and the National Flute Association Masterclass Competition.
Nina Assimakopoulos is flute professor at West Virginia University, where she enjoys working with an inspiring and active community of talented undergraduate, masters, and doctoral flute students.
In addition to her work as a musician, Assimakopoulos is a prize-winning painter whose work has been exhibited at museums and internationally juried shows. Her paintings have been used on the cover art of her CD’s and appear on her website.
Nina Assimakopoulos studied with Peter Lloyd at the Indiana University School of Music and Paul Meisen at the Munich Academy of Music. She is grateful to them for their ongoing influence in her life as a performing artist and teacher.
