Linda Chesis

Linda Chesis is widely recognized as one of the most captivating and versatile flutists of her generation, with The New York Times describing her as “a marvelous artist, whose sophisticated technical resources and lively, informed musicality vitalize everything she plays.” Her multifaceted career encompasses roles as soloist, chamber musician, educator, curator, and festival director.

She has performed in major concert halls worldwide and earned top prizes at prestigious international competitions, including the Paris and Barcelona International Competitions and the National Flute Association Competition. Her distinguished career has garnered numerous accolades, including a Solo Recitalist’s Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ms. Chesis is the founder and artistic director of the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival, now in its twenty-eighth season of bringing world-class chamber music to upstate New York. She has been a featured artist at esteemed festivals including the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Salzburg Mozarteum, the Spoleto Festival, and the Tanglewood Music Festival.

Since 1986, she has been an integral member of the flute and chamber music faculties at the Manhattan School of Music, where she served as chair of the Woodwind Department from 1988 to 2025. Ms. Chesis is also on the faculty of the CUNY Graduate Center in NYC. She is regularly invited to conduct master classes at conservatories, universities, and institutes worldwide, with upcoming residencies at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest and recitals and master classes at venues throughout Korea.

Linda Chesis earned her BA from Yale College with a major in the History of Art before pursuing her passion for the flute through studies with Jean-Pierre Rampal at the Paris Conservatory, where she received the prestigious Premier Prix de Flûte. She served as principal flute of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse before returning to the United States to embark on her solo and chamber music career.

Her discography includes recordings on EMI, Nonesuch, and Music Masters, and her chamber music performances are regularly featured on radio and television broadcasts, including American Public Media’s Performance Today.