Since returning to her home state of South Carolina, flutist Lauren Watkins Vaughn maintains a versatile career as a performer, educator, and clinician. Lauren began teaching at Newberry College in 2015. In addition to her responsibilities as a faculty member in the Department of Music, she also serves as Music Admission and Recruitment Coordinator for the college. Dr. Vaughn teaches flute, flute ensemble, world music, and college life 101 and 102 for music majors. She is an active performer and currently holds the position of Second Flute with the Augusta Symphony and Principal Flute with the Aiken Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, SC Philharmonic Orchestra, Long Bay Symphony, and the Palmetto Opera Orchestra. Prior to her current teaching engagement, Dr. Vaughn served as Interim Instructor of Flute at the University of South Carolina, and on the faculties of Limestone University, USC Aiken, and the Carolina Summer Music Conservatory at USC. 

 

A prizewinning flutist in several national competitions, Dr. Vaughn was awarded first prize in the Atlanta Flute Club Young Artist Competition and the Central Ohio Flute Society Young Artist Competition. She was also a prizewinner in the Myrna Brown Artist Competition, Byron Hester Artist Competition, and the Mid-South Flute Society Young Artist Competition. 

 

Having spent many years performing and teaching in the community, Dr. Vaughn is an advocate for community engagement in music schools in higher education. She has presented her research at the College Music Society’s Summit on 21st century music school design, Collegiate Music Outreach Network (C’MON) Symposium, Public Music Discourse Symposium, and the UNCG Flute Fest. Dr. Vaughn has an interest in career and artistic development for musicians and frequently offers presentations on goal setting, careers in music, and navigating the college admissions process.

 

Dr. Vaughn is a graduate of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, The Ohio State University (BM), University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music (MM), and the University of South Carolina (DMA). She is blessed to experience continual learning and growth under the instruction of her musical mentors Dr. Jennifer Parker-Harley, Jim Walker, Katherine Borst Jones, Patricia George, Mark Thomas, and Dr. Caroline Ulrich.