- Member, Monterey Symphony and Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra
- Professor of Flute, West Valley College
Teresa Orozco, professor of flute studies at West Valley College, is a distinguished classical and Latin American flutist deeply engaged in the Bay Area’s vibrant music scene. A versatile performer, she has been a member of the Monterey Symphony since 1987, the Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra since 2007, and the New Ballet San Jose from 2017-2023. From 1992 to 2016, she was the principal flutist of New Music Works and Bay Shore Lyric Opera Company from 2000-2010. Teresa remains an active freelance artist, regularly subbing with Opera San Jose, West Bay Opera, Symphony Silicon Valley, and other prestigious local ensembles. Internationally, she has toured with the San Francisco Merola Western Opera Company and the Rome Festival Orchestra in Italy. She has also appeared as a soloist with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Alameda Orchestra, Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, Ovation Chamber Orchestra, and the Bay Shore Lyric Chamber Orchestra.
In 2013, she gave a world-premiere performance of La Vida Es Arte, a concerto written for her by local composer Kerry Lewis, with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, which received critical acclaim. The San Francisco Classical Voice praised her performance, noting, “Teresa Orozco darted in and out among the other instruments with pinpoint virtuosity, intriguing to listen to,” and described her as “a fantastic flute soloist with a beautiful sound and technique to burn. She is a fully engaging soloist, presenting the piece with complete conviction and aplomb.”
A devoted educator and communicator, Teresa has mentored hundreds of young musicians over the last four decades, with teaching and coaching positions in numerous respected organizations including the San Jose Youth Symphony, California Youth Symphony, San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra, Harker Schools, Valley Christian Junior Conservatory and Campbell Unified School District. She has also served as coordinator and performer for woodwind demonstrations for the Monterey Symphony Orchestra and worked as an educator for migrant students in Salinas. Through her passion for music and education, she has inspired countless students to excel not only in their musical abilities but also in their artistic discipline and temperament, shaping a new generation of musicians.