Carol Wincenc

Among the foremost American flutists of her era, Carol Wincenc has introduced numerous compositions by domestic creators while guiding successive generations of younger musicians through her work as an educator.

Born in Buffalo, New York, on June 29, 1949, Wincenc ("Win-sense") grew up with a conductor and professor for a father and a pianist for a mother. Violin instruction from her father began at age four, yet a switch to the flute at nine produced swift advancement. During her teenage years, she trained under the virtuoso Severino Gazzelloni. Her undergraduate studies took place at the Oberlin Conservatory with Robert Willoughby and at the Manhattan School of Music; she later earned a master's degree at the Juilliard School under Arthur Lora. After appearing with several ensembles, she became a member of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in Minnesota during the 1970s. Capture of first prize at the 1978 Naumburg Competition opened the way to a solo career that soon encompassed extensive performances and numerous recordings for the Musical Heritage Society LP subscription service. She held a teaching post at Rice University and joined the faculty of the Juilliard School in 1988.

In 1991 she recorded Mozart's flute quartets with the Emerson String Quartet for Deutsche Grammophon. Two years later she presented the world premiere of Christopher Rouse's Flute Concerto. The 1995 release Joan Tower: Black Topaz on New World Records marked the start of a sustained focus on contemporary repertoire in both her concert programs and her discography. Works she has introduced include scores by Tobias Picker, Peter Schickele, and Henryk Górecki (the Concerto-Cantata). Her 2004 account of Passover Offering appeared on a Naxos disc of music by Yehudi Wyner that received a Grammy award nomination. The National Society of Arts and Letters presented her with a lifetime achievement medal in 2014. She returned to the catalogue in 2022 with the Orchid Classics album Air in Motion: Pierre Jalbert.