The following is a list of women classical flautists by nationality – notable women who are well known for their work in the field of

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

Australia

Jane Rutter Jane Rutter (born 2 November 1958) is an Australian flautist. Her repertoire encompasses classical, jazz, and pop music. Career Rutter specializes in the French Flute School. She has lectured at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and formed ...

(born 1958), classical and jazz flautist, chamber musician * Linda Vogt (1922–2013), classical and jazz flautist, educator

Chile

Viviana Guzmán Viviana Guzmán (born August 20, 1964) is a Chilean professional flutist, composer, dancer and poet, who performs over 80 concerts a year, and has played in 122 countries. She has been described by ''The New York Times'' as "an imaginative artist ...

(born 1964), prominent soloist, composer and recording artist

Denmark

* Ulla Miilmann (born 1972), principal flautist of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra *

Michala Petri Michala Petri (born 7 July 1958) is a Danish recorder player. She is celebrated for her technical virtuosity and versatility across various musical styles. She made her solo debut in 1969, at age eleven. Biography Petri, who began playing th ...

(born 1958), recorder virtuoso, broadcaster and recording artist

France

* Patricia Lavail (born 1962), recorder player and educator *

Sarah Louvion Sarah Louvion (born 1976) is a French classical flautist. The award-winning player has been the principal flute of the Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester from 2002, and is active as a soloist and chamber musician. She has given internationa ...

(born 1976), award-winning classical flautist, soloist and chamber musician

Germany

Dorothee Oberlinger Dorothee Oberlinger (born 2 September 1969) is a German recorder player and professor. Biography Dorothee Oberlinger was born in Aachen and raised in Simmern. At the University of Cologne, she studied music education and German studies. Afte ...

(born 1969), recorder player, soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and educator * Dorothea Winter (1949–2012), recorder player, chamber musician and educator

Hungary

Noémi Győri Noémi Győri (born 1983) is a Hungarian classical flautist. Education Győri graduated with honours from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest (Prof. Henrik Prőhle) in 2007 and completed post-graduate studies at the University of Music and ...

(born 1983), soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and educator

India

* Rasika Shekar (born 1989), Indo-American flautist who plays the classical Indian bansuri

Israel

Drora Bruck Drora Bruck (; born December 31, 1966, in Haifa, Israel) is an Israeli recorder player. Biography Drora Bruck graduated from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where she studied with Michael Meltzer, for her BMus which was obtained in ...

(born 1966), recorder player, soloist, chamber musician and educator *Tamar Lalo (born 1984), recorder player specializing in early music, now based in the Netherlands *

Sharon Bezaly Sharon Bezaly (; born 1972) is an Israeli flautist. Bezaly was born in Israel, but lives presently in Sweden. She has been an international performer since 1997, when she began her solo flute career. She made her solo debut at 13 with Zubin Meh ...

(born 1972), flute player, soloist, now based in Sweden

Japan

* Ayako Takagi (born 1977), soloist, recitalist, recording artist and academic

Korea

Jasmine Choi Jasmine Choi (Korean name: Choi Na-kyung (Korean: 최나경), born in Seoul, South Korea, May 23, 1983) is a Korean-born flautist, who was educated in the US and is currently living in Austria. Life Raised in Daejeon, Choi grew up in a musical f ...

(born 1983), Korean-born, educated in the U.S., living currently in Austria; soloist and recording artist

Mexico

* Elena Duran (born 1949), Mexican-American flautist, concerto appearances and recordings with major orchestras

Netherlands

Eleonore Pameijer Eleonore Pameijer (born 1960) is a Dutch flute player. She studied with Koos Verheul at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she received her solo diploma ''cum laude''. She continued her studies with Abbie de Quant (Utrecht, the Netherlands) ...

(born 1960), soloist, recitalist and artistic director *

Kathinka Pasveer Kathinka Pasveer (born 11 June 1959) is a Dutch flautist. Biography Kathinka Pasveer was born in Zaandam, The Netherlands, daughter of the conductor Jan Pasveer, who also taught at the Amsterdam Conservatory. She studied with Frans Vester at the ...

(born 1959), classical flautist and educator *

Abbie de Quant Abbie de Quant (born 1946, The Hague) is a Dutch flautist. She taught at the music academies of Amsterdam and Utrecht and had her own bi-annual concert series at the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam. Abbie de Quant studied with Koos Verheul at the Music ...

(born 1946), soloist, recording artist and educator * Marion Verbruggen (born 1950), leading recorder soloist, chamber musician and conductor

Norway

Ingrid Søfteland Neset Ingrid Søfteland Neset (born 9 May 1992) is a Norwegian Classical flautist living in Stavanger (2017). She is the daughter of music teachers guitarist Terje Neset (born 1959) and pianist Anne Leni Søfteland Sæbø (born 1961), and the sister o ...

(born 1992), award-winning classical flautist *

Gro Sandvik Gro Schibsted Sandvik prof.em (born 2 October 1942 in Sarpsborg, Norway) has served as principal flute of the Bergen Philharmonic 1967-2004. She held the position from 1964 with Stavanger Symphony orchestra. Since 1967 she is a member of Berge ...

(born 1942), soloist and chamber music performer

Poland

Jadwiga Kotnowska Jadwiga Kotnowska is a Polish flautist. A winner of many important international competitions, she was educated in Poland, Switzerland and France. She studied flute with Aurèle Nicolet, Alain Marion and Jean-Pierre Rampal. Today, in turn, she i ...

(born 1957), soloist, recitalist, recording artist and chamber musician

Serbia

Sanja Stijačić Sanja Stijačić (born 14 November 1965) is a Serbian flutist and Associate Professor of Flute at the University of Pristina (Kosovska Mitrovica) and University of East Sarajevo. Education Sanja Stijačić was born in Šabac, SR Serbia, SFR Y ...

(born 1965), soloist, chamber musician and academic

Slovenia

Irena Grafenauer Irena Grafenauer (born 19 June 1957 in Ljubljana, Slovenia) is a Slovenian flute player and soloist, a pupil of Boris Čampa, Karlheinz Zöller and Aurèle Nicolet. Irena Grafenauer was born to father Stanko Grafenauer, a geologist, and to mot ...

(born 1957), soloist, chamber musician and educator

Switzerland

Caroline Charrière Caroline Charrière (26 December 1960 – 1 October 2018) was a Swiss composer, conductor, flautist and educator. From 2000 on she concentrated on composing, creating chamber music, choral music and orchestral pieces. In 2001, she established he ...

(1960–2018), composer, conductor, flautist, chamber musician and educator

Turkey

Şefika Kutluer Şefika Kutluer (born 5 May 1961) is a Turkish classical flautist. She was born in Ankara, Turkey. While still in the primary school, she transferred to the primary school section of Ankara State Conservatory upon the suggestion of Ulvi Cemal E ...

(born 1961), award-winning soloist and Baroque specialist

United Kingdom

* Rachel Begley (fl. 1990s), recorder and Baroque bassoon virtuosi now based in New York *

Lisa Beznosiuk Lisa Beznosiuk (born 20 August 1956 in Sheffield) is an English flautist of Ukrainian and Irish descent, specializing in period performance of baroque and classical music on historical flutes. Biography and career Lisa Beznosiuk trained at t ...

(born 1956), flautist specializing in Baroque and historical works * Laura Cannell (fl. 2000s), composer, recorder player, violinist and broadcaster *

Marianne Davies Marianne Davies (1743 or 1744 – c. 1818) was an English musician, daughter of the composer and flautist Richard Davies and the sister of the classical soprano Cecilia Davies. She was a singer who also played flute and harpsichord. She was ha ...

(1743 or 1744 – c. 1818), flutist, singer, harpsichordist, and

glass harmonica The glass harmonica, also known as the glass armonica, glass harmonium, bowl organ, hydrocrystalophone, or simply the armonica or harmonica (derived from , ''harmonia'', the Greek language, Greek word for harmony), is a type of musical instr ...

player *

Lorna McGhee Lorna McGhee (born 1972) is a Scottish flutist and teacher, who since 2024 holds the position of Principal Flute at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She served as Principal Flute of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 2012 to 2024. In addition, she ...

(born 1972), Scottish flutist and educator, chamber musician *

Susan Milan Susan Milan ( ; born 3 September 1947) is an English professor of flute of the Royal College of Music, classical performer, recording artiste, composer, author and entrepreneur. Biography Susan Milan was born in London, the daughter of civil ...

(born 1947), classical performer, composer and academic *

Hilary du Pré Hilary Anne du Pré (born 25 April 1942) is an English flautist and memoirist best known for her co-authorship of the book '' A Genius in the Family'' (1997) and contributions to the 1998 film ''Hilary and Jackie'', both of which relate the sto ...

(born 1942), flautist and memoirist

United States

Jeanne Baxtresser Jeanne Baxtresser (born August 2, 1947) is an American flutist and teacher. She is most notable for her position as principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic for over 15 years, she decided to play the flute when she was only nine years ol ...

(born 1947), recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician, educator and recording artist *

Frances Blaisdell Frances Blaisdell (January 5, 1912 – March 11, 2009) was an American flautist, widely recognized as one of the first female professional flautists. She held positions with the National Orchestral Association, the New Opera Company and the New Fr ...

(1912–2009), early American professional flautist and educator *

Vicki Boeckman Vicki Boeckman (born 1955) is an American recorder artist, performer, and educator. Life and career Originally from Los Angeles, California, Vicki was introduced to the recorder while studying flute at California State University, Northridge. ...

(born 1955), recorder player, performer and educator *

Claire Chase Claire Chase (born 1978) is a soloist, collaborative artist, curator and advocate for new and experimental music. Chase has won the Avery Fisher Prize, which recognizes musical excellence, vision, and leadership. In 2012, Chase was awarded a MacA ...

(born 1978), recitalist, recording artist and arts entrepreneur *

Valerie Coleman Valerie Coleman is an American composer and flutist as well as the creator of the wind quintet Imani Winds. Coleman is a distinguished artist of the century who was named Performance Today's 2020 Classical Woman of the year and was listed as � ...

(fl. 1997), flautist and composer contributing to chamber music * Elena Duran (born 1949), Mexican-American flautist, concerto appearances and recordings with major orchestras * Cynthia Folio (born 1954), composer, flutist, music theorist and academic * Jeanne Galway (born 1955), American-born flautist and educator now based in Switzerland * Marianne Gedigian (fl. 1990s), recitalist, principal flute of major orchestras * Katherine Hoover (1937–2018), composer, flutist, music theorist and educator * Catherine Ransom Karoly (fl. 1990s), principal flute and soloist, chamber musician *

Anne La Berge Anne La Berge was born in Palo Alto, California, in 1955. Her father was a neuropsychology scientist and her mother a violinist. She is a flutist, composer and improviser, currently residing in Amsterdam. Her performances bring together a virtuos ...

(born 1955), flutist and composer now based in Amsterdam * Anne McGinty (born 1945), flutist, composer and music publisher *

Marina Piccinini Marina Piccinini (born 1963) is an Italian-American virtuoso flautist. She is noted for her performances of compositions by Mozart and Bach, and has performed with many of the world's top orchestras and conductors. Early life and education Marina ...

(born 1968), Italian-American virtuoso flautist specializing in Mozart and Bach * Amy Porter (fl. 1990s), soloist, chamber musician and educator * Gwyn Roberts (fl. 1990s), recorder and traverso soloist, chamber musician and educator *

Paula Robison Paula Robison (born June 8, 1941) is a flute soloist and teacher. Early life and education Paula Robison was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the daughter of David V. and Naomi Robison, an actor. David Robison was a playwright and writer for film a ...

(born 1941), soloist and music educator *

Mindy Rosenfeld Mindy Rosenfeld is an American flutist, piper and harpist, noted as a founding member of the Baltimore Consort, specializing in Renaissance music. She is also credited as Mindy Rosenfeld Hedges. Life and career Mindy Rosenfeld, graduated with a B ...

(fl. 1980s), flautist, piper and harpist *

Elaine Shaffer Elaine Shaffer (October 22, 1925 – February 19, 1973) was an American flutist and principal of the Houston Symphony Orchestra between 1948 and 1953. Biography Elaine Shaffer was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She attended the Curtis Insti ...

(1925–1973), principal flautist, soloist and chamber musician *

Mimi Stillman Mimi Stillman is a professional concert flutist. Career Stillman was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in 1999. Stillman received an MA in history and was a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania ...

(fl. 2000s), concert flutist, chamber musician and educator * Carol Wincenc (born 1949), soloist, chamber musician and academic *

Eugenia Zukerman Eugenia Rich Zukerman (born September 25, 1944, Cambridge, Massachusetts) is an American flutist, writer, and journalist. An internationally renowned flute virtuoso, Zukerman has been performing with major orchestras and at major music festivals i ...

(born 1944), flute virtuoso, writer and journalist