Baker, Julius

Julius Baker was one of the most prominent American flutists and flute teachers. Born in Cleveland, Ohio he studied flute with Leonardo De Lorenzo at the Eastman School of Music and William Kincaid at the Curtis Institute of Music. He played with Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Chicago orchestras but most of his career he spent in New York.
Since 1965 he was Principal flute of the New York Philharmonic orchestra under Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez and Zubin Mehta, as well as playing in the Columbia Symphony orchestra with whom he previously made American premiere and recording of Ibert Flute Concerto in 1948. He was a founding member of the Bach Aria Group ensemble and has made many recording of film scores, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast etc.
Throughout fifty-year tenure at the Julliard School, as well as teaching at the Curtis Institute and Carnegie Mellon University, Julius Baker has made a big impact on many of his students: Paula Robinson, Jeanne Baxtresser, Jasmine Choi, Marina Piccinini and many others.