lessons, performances, and positivity
My mission for my flute studio is to help students build confidence in their flute playing.
I want my students to be set up for success all while being constantly positively reinforced. There is no room for negativity in any way with my students - I make sure of it!
Fluteful Thinking + Positive Thinking
a little about me...
My name is Taylor Hesskamp, though you can just call me Taylor!
Music is my true passion, and I am honored to share it with others as a flute teacher and performer. My journey in music has been an incredible adventure, filled with growth, inspiration, and unforgettable experiences.
In 2019 I took a leap of faith and moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music where I had the privilege of pursuing my master's degree in flute performance. While I was at the RCM I made many friends from all over the world and got to meet and work with some of my biggest flute idols! I was so fortunate to study flute with Gitte Marcusson and Adam Walker, piccolo with Stewart McIlwham, and even baroque flute with Rachel Brown! It was during this period that my passion for music blossomed and I truly fell in love with the flute and music in a whole new way. It truly changed my life!
Before my time at the Royal College of Music, I earned my bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where I studied with Dr. Shelly Monier. I got to do some pretty fun things here - including performing my first concerto ever when I was a sophomore!
Currently, I have the absolute pleasure of teaching flute at many different places, and to many different ages! I teach college students at Southern Illinois Univeristy Carbondale, McKendree University and Jefferson College, high school, middle school, and elementary flutes at my private lesson studio and in the Mehlville school district, and even general music at Oakhaven Montessori!
Beyond music, I cherish the time spent with loved ones. My husband and our adorable dogs, Penny and Teddy, bring immense joy to my life. In my downtime, I explore my passion for photography, crocheting, cooking up a delicious meal, and playing video games. My favorite ones are: Sims, Legend of Zelda BOTW and TOTK, Paper Mario, and any cozy game, really! Fun fact, in the year between me teaching and graduating college, I was a professional video game streamer!
Thank you so much for checking out my website and learning more about me! I hope to learn more about you in the future as well and hope that you consider joining the Fluteful Thinking Studio!
here, my goal is to get students where THEY want to be in their playing.
- You can catch me croteching in my free time! I crochet everything from blankets to stuffed animals
- I make the best burger and steak
- Video games...need I say more?
- I love baking (and eating) bread
- Trying new things is my jam!!
fun facts :)
read my professional bio!
Taylor Hesskamp is a versatile flutist and dedicated educator based in St. Louis, Missouri. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2019, studying with Dr. Shelly Monier. During her time there, she won the SIUE Flute Day competition, the orchestra’s concerto competition performing the first movement of C.P.E. Bach’s Concerto in D Minor, and also took first place at the 2019 Central Ohio Flute Association Flute Day. She earned her Master of Performance from the Royal College of Music in 2021 which is consistently ranked among the top conservatories in the world for performing arts. While there, Taylor studied flute with Gitte Marcusson and Adam Walker, piccolo with Stewart McIlwham, and baroque flute with Rachel Brown. While at the RCM, Taylor performed with the RCM Opera, Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic, and various chamber ensembles. Taylor has extensive performance experience, including three years with the St. Louis Youth Symphony (flute and piccolo), recording at Pixar Studios for the independent Ukrainian film Bound, and substituting with the United States Air Force Band for their Liberty for All tour (2024) and Christmas show (2025). She has been featured as a soloist with the Jefferson College Wind Symphony, performing Hue’s Fantasie and Reinecke’s Ballade. She has attended numerous summer programs and workshops, including the Iowa Flute Intensive, Whole Flutes, The Consummate Flutist, Wildacres Flute Retreat, and the Aria Summer Academy. As an educator, Taylor serves as an adjunct flute professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, McKendree University, and Jefferson College, teaches private lessons out of her home, and is a general music teacher at Oakhaven Montessori for elementary students. She has also served as a clinician leading MMEA/ILMEA prep classes, judged flutes for the high school flute choir at the National Flute Association, and served as a judge for ILMEA junior band and MMEA All-Collegiate Orchestra. Taylor’s dedication to both performance and teaching combines a passion for developing musicianship, confidence, and a love for music in students of all ages.
