Jeanne Baxtresser (born August 2, 1947) is an American
flutist
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
and teacher. She is most notable for her position as principal flutist of the
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
for over 15 years, she decided to play the flute when she was only nine years old, as an author (''Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Piano Accompaniment),'' and as a professor and master teacher. Previous positions include professor of flute at
The University of Montréal,
The University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
,
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...
,
Manhattan School of Music,
New England conservatory and
Carnegie Mellon University. She received the
National Flute Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. She has been credited with "upholding an increasingly higher standard of artistic excellence for the flute."
Biography
Jeanne Baxtresser was born August 2, 1947, in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Northampton and Lehigh Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethlehem had a total population of 75,781. Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County and 19, ...
to Earl and
Margaret (Barthel) Baxtresser.
The eldest of six children, Baxtresser was surrounded by music in her childhood as her mother was an award-winning concert pianist.
She began piano lessons from an early age but called her piano debut "a disaster."
She began playing the flute at age 10 and quickly realized it was the instrument for her.
By this time, the family had moved to Minneapolis where a family friend began giving her flute lessons. She quickly progressed in these lessons and began studying with Emil Opava, then of the
Minnesota Orchestra.
During these years, Baxtresser also attended the
Interlochen
Interlochen ( ') is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 694, up from 583 at the 2010 census. The community is located wit ...
National Music Camp and Academy as a flute pupil of Gary Sigurdson.
She made her orchestral debut at age 14 with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Baxtresser auditioned and was accepted into the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, starting in 1965.
She studied with
Julius Baker
Julius Baker (September 23, 1915 – August 6, 2003) was one of the foremost American orchestral flute players. During the course of five decades he concertized with several of America's premier orchestral ensembles including the Chicago Sympho ...
for four years, working with many of the influential composers and colleagues of the time, including conductor
Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer.
Early life and education
Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
, and pianists
Emanuel Ax
Emanuel "Manny" Ax (born 8 June 1949) is a Grammy-winning American classical pianist. He is a teacher in the Juilliard School.
Early life
Ax was born to a Polish-Jewish family in Lviv, Ukraine, (in what was then the Soviet Union) to Joachim and ...
,
Garrick Ohlsson
Garrick Olof Ohlsson (born April 3, 1948) is an American classical pianist. He is the only American to have won first prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition, at the VIII competition in 1970. He also won first prize at the Busoni Com ...
, and Jeffrey Siegle.
During her final year at Juilliard, Baxtresser won the position of Principal Flutist of the
Montreal Symphony in 1969, and shortly after was hired as professor of flute at
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous ...
in Montreal.
She was subsequently appointed Principal Flute of the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toronto ...
in 1976, before being invited by Music Director
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mehta's father was the fou ...
to join the New York Philharmonic in 1981.
The first female principal flute of the New York Philharmonic, Baxtresser appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic on more than fifty occasions, and has been featured as a soloist across North America and Europe. She retired from the New York Philharmonic in 1998, to focus on full time teaching.
While in New York, Baxtresser served on the faculties of the Juilliard School from 1985 to 2011 and the Manhattan School of Music from 1990 to 2001. In 1998, she was appointed the Vira I. Heinz Professor of Flute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
In all of these positions, she has attracted many outstanding flute students from around the world.
Baxtresser's exceptional career as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician has produced numerous recordings, including ''New York Legends - Jeanne Baxtresser'' (Cala), ''Jeanne Baxtresser—A Collection of My Favorites'' (MSR Classics), and ''Chamber Music for Flute'' (Cala), featuring her performances with principal players of the New York Philharmonic. She has recorded works under the baton of such legendary conductors as
Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta and
Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur (18 July 1927 – 19 December 2015) was a German conductor. Called "one of the last old-style maestros", he directed many of the principal orchestras of his era. He had a long career as the Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus O ...
.
In addition to performing and teaching, Baxtresser has released an immensely important work entitled ''Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Piano Accompaniment'' (Theodore Presser), with a companion CD, ''Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Spoken Commentary'' (
Summit Records). This work has become a vital part of flute pedagogy, as her narration of the excerpts make it possible for students of all levels to receive her coaching. A subsequent book, ''Great Flute Duos from the Orchestral Repertoire'', was named the 2004 winner of the National Flute Association's Newly Published Music Competition and has quickly become a part of standard pedagogical repertoire.
Recipient of the National Flute Association's Lifetime Achievement Award for significant, lasting contributions to the flute world, Baxtresser was also awarded the National Medal of Arts from the Interlochen Center for the Arts and at Carnegie Mellon was named "University Professor," the university's most distinguished professorial position. It is awarded to those individuals who have achieved exceptional international recognition. She is recognized internationally as a leading recording artist, author, and lecturer.
Personal life
Baxtresser is married to bassoonist David H. Carroll in 1976, after the two met while working together in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
Discography
*''Romantic Flute Music'' (1977)
*''The Magic Flute'' (1988)
*''The Baroque Flute'' (1989)
*''The Baroque Album'' (1992)
*''Orchestral Excerpts for Flute'' (1995)
*''A Flute Masterclass'' (1997)
*''Great Flute Duos'' (2002)
*''Jeanne Baxtresser, Debut Solo Recording, Montreal 1977'' (2002)
*''Jeanne Baxtresser: A Collection of My Favorites'' (2006)
*''Chamber Music for Flute'' (2006)
External links
Jeanne BaxtresserInterview with Julius Baker and Jeanne Baxtresser, on teaching2006 National Flute Association Lifetime Achievement Award winners
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxtresser, Jeanne
American classical flautists
Juilliard School alumni
Carnegie Mellon University faculty
New England Conservatory faculty
Living people
Women flautists
1947 births
People from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Classical musicians from Pennsylvania
Juilliard School faculty
Manhattan School of Music faculty
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical musicians
20th-century American women musicians
21st-century American musicians
21st-century classical musicians
21st-century American women musicians
McGill University faculty
New York Philharmonic
Summit Records artists
20th-century flautists
21st-century flautists