Inês Acerra
Inês is a freelance flutist and music educator with a passion for arts administration currently based in Fort Worth, Texas.
Inês received her Bachelor of Arts from University of Minho in Braga, Portugal in 2022 where she studied with Gil Magalhães. Her primary flute mentors include Vera Fischer (principal flutist of Klangforum Wien), Adriana Ferreira (principal flutist of Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome), Francisco Barbosa (solo flutist of Budapest Chamber Orchestra), Clara Saleiro (founding member of Noviga Projekto in Austria), Salomé Ferreira and Sara Marques. She has received masterclasses from José-Daniel Castellon, Stephanie Wagner, Stefano Parrino, Nuno Inácio, Marcos Fregnani, Peter Stark, Luís Meireles and Olavo Barros.
An experienced orchestral player, Inês served as principal flutist, second flutist and piccolo player from 2017 to 2022 in her home country of Portugal in Guimarães Orchestra, Braga Philharmonic Orchestra, Con Spirito Orchestra and Património Opera Orchestra.
A passionate chamber musician, Inês won several international competitions with her woodwind quintet “Quinteto Sinestesia” in 2021, including third prize at France Music Competition, third prize at Mark and Pioneer International Music Competition USA, Honorable Mention at International School of Culture and Art Competition Switzerland, First Prize at International Moscow Music Competition, Second Prize at Odin Music Competition Ireland. Her chamber group, the “Ascensus Trio” was awarded an artistic residency grant from the University of Minho in 2021, which allowed her to co-organize and debut an original composition by Portuguese composer João Rocha. She also performed with the “Hodiernus Ensemble” and co-organized an artistic project funded by a grant by the Municipality of Braga to premier an original composition by Eduardo Luís Patriarca in 2021.
Inês has a passion for arts administration as well, having served as the founder and artistic director of her own arts festival in her home city of Vizela, SETRA – Arts Festival 2023. Winning the Youth Participation Grant 2022 (OPJ) of Vizela, Portugal, this pioneering interdisciplinary arts festival aimed to enrich the city of Vizela by organizing artistic performances throughout the city over a three day weekend.
Inês has experience teaching flute and elementary music in schools in Portugal and the United States. She currently teaches flute privately with Acerra Music Studio and teaches music and choir as part of the Meraki School enrichment program based in Southlake, Texas.