Hailed as an artist who “plays with absolute perfection, a refined style, and a ravishing sonority”, Jeanne Baxtresser has held principal positions with three major orchestras, culminating with her 15-year tenure as solo flutist with the New York Philharmonic. Making her heralded debut with the Minnesota Orchestra at age 14, Ms. Baxtresser began her professional career as principal flutist of the Montreal Symphony immediately following her graduation from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Julius Baker. She was subsequently appointed principal flute of the Toronto Symphony before being invited by Music Director Zubin Mehta to join the New York Philharmonic. Ms. Baxtresser appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic on more than fifty occasions, and has been the featured soloist with leading orchestras across North America and Europe. Recipient of the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for significant, lasting contributions to the flute world, she is recognized internationally as a leading recording artist, author, and lecturer. In great demand as a teacher, many of her students occupy principal and section positions in major orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. While in New York, Ms. Baxtresser served on the faculties of The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. In 1998, she was appointed the Vira I. Heinz Professor of Flute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where she has attracted many outstanding flute students from every continent. Her students currently occupy principal and section positions in major orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. This spring, Ms. Baxtresser was named University Professor, Carnegie Mellon University’s most distinguished professorial position. University Professorships are awarded to distinguished individuals who have achieved exceptional national and international distinction. Ms. Baxtresser also serves as Visiting Artist Lecturer at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and is frequently invited to give master classes worldwide. Two new releases featuring Ms. Baxtresser are now available. The two discs, Chamber Music for Flute (Cala, CACD0544), featuring her performances with principal players of the New York Philharmonic, and Jeanne Baxtresser - A Collection of My Favorites (MSR Classics, MS1114), are collections surveying Ms. Baxtresser’s exceptional career as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician. Her solo and chamber recordings also include the acclaimed New York Legends - Jeanne Baxtresser (Cala). She has recorded many of the major symphonic works with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta and Kurt Masur. Ms. Baxtresser’s first book, Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Piano Accompaniment (Theodore Presser), with a companion CD (Summit), has quickly become a vital part of flute pedagogy. Her subsequent book, Great Flute Duos from the Orchestral Repertoire was named the 2004 winner of the National Flute Association’s Newly Published Music Competition.

Updated August 1, 2006 by Stephen Linhart     Copyright Linhart, Baxtresser     Photos: Christian Steiner, Bert Bial, Bial, Steiner