Dr. Lauren Vaughn

Since returning to her home state of South Carolina, flutist Lauren Watkins Vaughn maintains a versatile career as a performer, educator, and clinician. She currently holds the position of Second Flute/Piccolo with the Augusta Symphony and was Principal Flute with the Aiken Symphony Orchestra for six years. As a freelance musician, Lauren has performed with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Asheville Symphony Orchestra, SC Philharmonic Orchestra, Long Bay Symphony, and the Palmetto Opera Orchestra.

Prior to teaching in the music department at the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, Lauren was on the faculty at Newberry College. In addition to her flute teaching responsibilities at Newberry, she served as the Music Admission and Recruitment Coordinator for the college and instructor of World Music and College Life.  She has also been Interim Instructor of Flute at the University of South Carolina and on the faculties of Limestone University, UofSC Aiken, and the Carolina Summer Music Conservatory at UofSC.

Having spent many years performing and teaching in the community, Dr. Vaughn is an advocate for community engagement in music programs. 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.

Lauren 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, Dr. Caroline Ulrich, and Mary AllyeB Purtle.