Michelle Zarco is a flutist,  founder & artistic director of ELENA.

She began piano lessons at age 9 with Filipina pianist Rowena Arrieta, and later switched to flute, pursuing a career in music, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in flute performance from the Hartt School of Music and Northwestern University. 

She entered the classical music field working for boutique classical music agency, Colbert Artists Management, as a concert servicer, publicity associate, booking rep and artist manager. She’s worked with world class artists such as Marc-André Hamelin, the Juilliard String Quartet, Anne Akiko Meyers, Sterling Elliott, Timo Andres and more, on bookings, commissions, projects and collaborations.

In 2020, as the music world paused, she pursued a longtime passion for fashion and lifestyle, working closely with a contemporary lifestyle shop in the Hudson Valley on merchandising, product shoots, e-commerce, styling and fashion buying.

ELENA is a synthesis of Michelle’s background and ambitions, and a reflection of her multi-hyphenate nature. It’s the confluence of music, art and design, thread together by a deep appreciation of captivating aesthetics and beauty. Born in the Philippines to a musical family, she strives to continue her family legacy through contributions to the art industries as a performer and entrepreneur.

July 2024