UKULELE: Cello Suite No. 1 BWV 1007 i.Prelude
FLUTE: J S Bach Allegro, Sonata no 5, e Minor
Oscar Velasco is a classically trained flutist and guitarist based in the DC metro area, with performance credits ranging from the National Cathedral to the United Nations. A scholarship alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts, Oscar brings rare versatility to every event — seamlessly moving between classical, Latin, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian jazz styles. He has performed with symphonies, chamber ensembles, and world music groups across two continents. Whether your event calls for elegant background music or a captivating featured performance, Oscar delivers polished, memorable artistry tailored to your occasion.
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Languages: English, Spanish
When you hire Oscar Velasco, you get a polished, versatile musician who shows up prepared and delivers. Whether the setting is an intimate chamber reception, a concert stage, or a multicultural festival, Oscar reads the room and brings the right energy to the moment.
Audiences can expect live flute or guitar performance spanning a wide range of styles — classical, Latin, jazz, world music, and beyond. Oscar performs across the full flute family (concert, alto, piccolo, Irish flute) and classical guitar, which means he can tailor the instrumentation to your event's mood and format. He can perform as a solo artist or as part of the Duo alongside his wife, multi-instrumentalist Roberta Holtz (bassoon, flute, piano) — an elegant option for events that call for a chamber ensemble feel.
Event planners can count on professionalism from first contact to final bow: clear communication, punctuality, appropriate attire, and a performance that fits the occasion. Oscar has performed at presidential theaters, national monuments, embassies, universities, and community venues — he's comfortable in formal concert settings and relaxed social ones alike.
If your event needs music that feels elevated without being stuffy, culturally rich without being inaccessible, and beautifully played without the guesswork — Oscar Velasco is the right call.
Oscar Velasco
Flutes · Guitar · Ukulele | Greenbelt, Maryland
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Oscar Velasco is a Washington, DC-area flutist and guitarist with over two decades of active performance experience across orchestral, chamber, world music, and jazz contexts. He is available for orchestral section work, chamber ensembles, duo and small-group bookings, solo engagements, and multi-genre projects where instrumental range and musical adaptability matter.
His instrument list spans the full flute family — concert, alto, bass, piccolo, and Irish flute — as well as pre-Columbian clay and stone flutes, classical guitar, and voice. That breadth is not incidental; it reflects a career deliberately built across genres, traditions, and performing formats, and it makes him genuinely useful to directors and producers who need a player who can cover more than one chair.
Velasco's formal training was earned at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), where he studied on full scholarship under master flute instructor Philip Dunigan — one of the most respected pedagogues in the field. He performed with school ensembles, toured with Dunigan's flute studio, and won the Raleigh Area Flute Association's annual Review and Contest Award while playing bass flute in their ensemble. Prior to beginning at UNCSA, he was invited to perform at the North Carolina Governor's Award for Excellence (2000) — an early measure of the level at which he was already operating.
In the DC area, he has held chairs in numerous ensembles of varying size and character: the NIH Philharmonia (Bethesda), the JCC Symphony Orchestra (Rockville), the American Balalaika Symphony (Arlington), the D.C. Different Drummer's Symphonic Band, the Rock Creek Chamber Players, the Latin American Folk Institute Ensemble, and the University of Maryland Repertoire Orchestra, among others. His orchestral highlights include Stravinsky's Rite of Spring on alto flute with the NIH Philharmonia and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony on principal flute with the University of Maryland Orchestra — two assignments that speak directly to his reliability in high-stakes principal and section roles. He has also performed Ravel's Rapsodie Espagnole and Debussy's La Mer with the NIH Philharmonia.
Velasco has been a member of the Greenbelt Community Orchestra since its inaugural concert in November 2023 — the debut performance of Greenbelt's first-ever community orchestra, which drew a full house and standing-room-only attendance. His ongoing membership reflects both his commitment to the local music community and his consistency as an active, rehearsal-present player.
Beyond the orchestra, Velasco has a strong track record in cross-cultural and contemporary music contexts. He is a longtime member of TALTICPAC, the Salvadoran ethnomusicology organization that performs on pre-Columbian flutes excavated from archaeological sites — an entirely unique performance practice that has taken him to some of the most distinctive venues in the hemisphere. He performed with TALTICPAC and the Montgomery College World Music Ensemble alongside legendary Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. He has also performed with Origem Band (Brazilian jazz), El Grupo Camaleón (Afro-Cuban and Latin styles), and other world and contemporary ensembles, and has shared programs with internationally acclaimed soprano Alessandra Marc and Grammy-nominated cellist and composer Dawn Avery.
He regularly performs chamber music with his wife, Roberta Holtz, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist on bassoon, flute, and piano. Together they perform as the Meloso Duo across classical, jazz, and world music repertoire — a working partnership that reflects years of ensemble experience and the kind of musical chemistry that only comes with sustained collaboration. Roberta's range on multiple instruments makes the duo unusually flexible for chamber bookings of varying instrumentation and format.
His venue record is extensive. In the United States: The National Cathedral, the United Nations (New York), Lincoln Theater, the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, the Rayburn House Office Building, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (College Park), and George Mason University. In El Salvador: the Teatro Nacional, Teatro Presidente, and at archaeological sites El Tazumal and San Andrés, among many others.
Velasco is a dependable, well-prepared collaborator with experience working inside large conducting hierarchies and in smaller self-directed ensembles. He reads well, adapts quickly to different styles and directors, and brings a breadth of musical knowledge that makes him an asset in projects that cross genre lines.
If your project calls for a versatile, experienced flutist or guitarist in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area — whether for a single concert, an ongoing ensemble role, recording work, or a multi-genre production — Oscar Velasco is available for inquiries.
Instruments: Concert flute · Alto flute · Bass flute · Piccolo · Irish flute · Pre-Columbian flutes · Classical guitar · Voice
Teachers: Dr. Philip Dunigan (UNCSA) · Dr. Kathleen Trahan (University of Maryland) · Cándido Morales, Miwa Kubota, Julio Bautista (San Salvador)
Oscar Velasco's performances are designed to be low-maintenance and adaptable to a wide range of venues and event types. That said, here are a few notes to help ensure the best possible experience:
Sound & Amplification
For small to medium indoor events (receptions, private events, intimate concert settings), no amplification is typically needed — the flute and classical guitar both project naturally in most room sizes. For larger venues, outdoor events, or events with significant ambient noise, a simple microphone setup is appreciated. A single vocal/instrument mic on a stand is sufficient for solo performance; two mics for duo performance with Roberta Holtz. Oscar is happy to work with your existing house sound system and sound technician.
Space & Staging
A small performance area is all that's needed — roughly 6x6 feet minimum for solo, 8x8 for duo. A standard armless chair is required for guitar performance. Music stand provided by performer.
Lighting
Standard ambient or stage lighting is fine. No special lighting requirements, though a small spotlight or warm wash is always a welcome touch for concert-style settings.
Power
No power requirements for acoustic performances. If amplification is used, one standard outlet nearby is sufficient.
Timing & Setup
Oscar typically needs 15–20 minutes to set up and do a brief sound check before the event begins. Please factor this into your event timeline.
Climate
Acoustic instruments are sensitive to extreme heat, cold, and humidity. Indoor climate-controlled settings are strongly preferred. For outdoor events, please ensure the performance area is shaded and that temperatures are moderate.
Oscar's influences span the classical tradition, the Latin American guitar lineage, and the world music spectrum his career has taken him through.
On the flute, the major orchestral literature of Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, and Tchaikovsky defined his development as an ensemble player. Among modern flutists, James Galway and Jean-Pierre Rampal set an early standard for what the instrument could communicate to a broad audience.
On guitar, his playing draws directly from the classical Latin American tradition. His teacher Cándido Morales was a disciple of Agustín Barrios "Mangoré" — the legendary Paraguayan composer-guitarist widely considered one of the greatest who ever lived — and that lineage runs through Oscar's approach to the instrument.
His years with TALTICPAC and the Montgomery College World Music Ensemble opened his ears to indigenous and pre-Columbian musical traditions, deepened by collaborations with R. Carlos Nakai and Grammy-nominated composer Dawn Avery.
On the jazz and Latin side, his time with El Grupo Camaleón and Origem Band brought him into the Afro-Cuban and Brazilian traditions — Chucho Valdés, Irakere, and the bossa nova canon all inform how he thinks about rhythm, improvisation, and feel.
Across all of it, the common thread is music that is technically grounded and emotionally direct — the kind that connects with an audience regardless of their background.
One armless chair (for guitar performance)
Small performance area — minimum 6×6 ft solo / 8×8 ft duo
Access to venue 15–20 minutes before event for setup and sound check
If amplification is needed (larger venues or outdoors): One microphone on a stand (solo) / two mics (duo)
If amplification is needed (larger venues or outdoors): Basic PA or house sound system
If amplification is needed (larger venues or outdoors): One standard electrical outlet nearby
If amplification is needed (larger venues or outdoors): Sound technician or point of contact for the house system
Environment: Indoor climate-controlled setting preferred
Environment: If outdoors: shaded area, moderate temperatures, protection from direct sun and wind
Flute Player