Alabama native Akilah Kidd enjoys the honor of teaching music at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and Phillips Academy. Mrs. Kidd previously served as principal flutist of the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, a member of the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and an adjunct Instructor of Music at Faulkner University, the University of Montevallo, Alabama State University, and Huntingdon College. She has also managed and operated a private lesson studio for fifteen years.

In addition to extensive performing throughout Alabama and the Midwest, Mrs. Kidd's passion for music education has led her to serve as a guest instructor at the prestigious Alabama School of Fine Arts, former guest clinician for the University of Alabama’s Honor Band Festival, an adjudicator for several regional competitions, flute instructor for the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, and a mentor for the Ypsilanti Youth Orchestra. Akilah spoke on the “Money and Music: Navigating the Business of a Performing Arts Career” panel at the inaugural SphinxConnect. As co-founder of music services company, The Grand Staff, she has also presented on youth entrepreneurship and finance as a part of their Wise Kidds’ Savvy Series, with her husband Emery Kidd, Sr.

Akilah serves on the board of the MidSouth Flute Society as a Member-at-Large, and previously as Recording Secretary. Her other professional memberships include the National Flute Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and the Umoja Flute Institute. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Alabama. Akilah is also an alumna of the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Her primary teachers include Amy Porter, Diane Boyd Schultz, and Kim Scott.