Paula Robison

American flutist.

Paula Robison burst onto the international music scene in 1966 when she won First Prize at the Geneva Competition, the first American ever to receive this honor. She joined the roster of the newly-formed Young Concert Artists and embarked on a world-traveling career as a flute soloist. She has commissioned works for flute and orchestra by Leon Kirchner, Toru Takemitsu, Oliver Knussen, Robert Beaser, and Kenneth Frazelle, premiered music written for her by Lowell Liebermann and Michael Tilson Thomas, performed Leonard Bernstein’s “Hålil” in Vienna and Carl Nielsen’s Concerto in Copenhagen, and presented a rich spectrum of music from Mozart Concerti to Brazilian Samba in her many appearances at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Paula Robison was a founding Artist Member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, performing with them for twenty seasons. During the same time she was co-director with Scott Nickrenz of the famed Noontime Concerts at the Spoleto Festivals, presenting many great artists early in their careers. She was awarded the Adelaide Ristori Prize and Premio Pegaso for her contributions to Italian cultural life.

Paula Robison has recorded for Vanguard Classics, Sony Classical, CBS Masterworks, Mode, New World Records, King Records, Musical Heritage Society, and Bridge Recordings. Her books on the art of flute playing are published by Universal Edition, Schott, European-American Music, G. Schirmer, and Theodore Presser. In 2006 she founded Pergola Recordings, an independent label.

One of Paula Robison’s favorite continuing projects is “With Art”: collaborations with visual artists in unusual spaces.

Paula Robison has taught at the Juilliard School and given classes all over the world. Since 1991 she occupies the Donna Hieken Flute Chair at New England Conservatory.

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