Janet See home page

Reviews

“See is a master of the instrument...Her tone glows quietly yet fervently...her progression through the music is even-handed, yet filled with inflections that are pertinent and enlightening.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“...she is gifted in the art of embellishment. Her phrases have a shape to them, her articulation is clear and communicative, and her intonation faultless.”
Gramophone Magazine‚ London

“...the flute solo in ‘Sweet Bird’ was memorable...” Los Angeles Times

“There are some beautifully played obbligatos, among which the flute's in the Benedictus...are outstanding.”
Musical Times, London

“The subtle variety of her tone proves her a supreme interpreter of Vivaldi.”
Digital Audio

“Flutist Janet See performed her concerto on a wooden instrument, drawing tones of such dulcet beauty that the advantage of an early instrument was obvious.”
Pittsburgh Post Gazette

“Janet See's command of the difficulties and rewards of the Baroque Flute is masterly.” Fanfare Magazine

“The gold standard for
baroque flute playing.”
Marty Ronish, Director 2011 Seattle Handel Festival

 

 

 

 

 

Janet See

Janet See first encountered the one-key baroque flute in 1971 while studying its modern counterpart at Oberlin Conservatory. Ever since then, her passion for the warmth of tone and expressivity of the instrument has defined her path as a musician. After graduate studies with Frans Vester in The Hague, Janet returned to the US and became an important ambassador for the baroque flute. For over 40 years she has performed as a soloist, in chamber music, and in orchestras throughout North America and Europe.

In London, where she lived for 12 years, Ms See played principal flute for Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s two orchestras and with those groups recorded the complete Mozart Operas, Beethoven Symphonies, and numerous other discs. In North America she was a founding member and principal flutist with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and also for several decades played principal flute for Pacific Baroque, Seattle Baroque, and Portland Baroque orchestras.  Ms. See has recorded on the DG Archive, EMI, Erato, Hyperion, and Harmonia Mundi labels, and with the latter has made a highly acclaimed recording of the complete JS Bach Flute Sonatas. Her most recent recording features classical flute repertoire of Mozart and Haydn.

Janet has taught workshops for Early Music Vancouver, Amherst Early Music, San Francisco Early Music Society, and Indiana University.

Janet earned her qualification as a teacher of the FM Alexander Technique, having trained in London with Walter and Dilys Carrington. She currently teaches privately and is director of the Seattle Baroque Flute Summer Workshop, and also of the chamber music series ‘First Sundays Concerts’ on Bainbridge Island where she lives.

 

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