Linda Wetherill

Linda Wetherill has toured as soloist cultural ambassador, collaborating and premiering modern composers' works and researching traditional musics since her selection by U.S.I.S to be featured recitalist for the 40th anniversary celebration in Frankfurt of German-American peace. Hans Stuckenschmidt called her "a brilliant flutist." She was the first American to be honored as featured soloist at the World Peace Festival of Langollen, Wales; and presented the first public concerts for mixed audiences by a woman in Saudi Arabia during her tours of the Middle East. Linda was the first American flutist to tour and teach in Central China in 2002. In 2003, her solo CD of collected compositions was placed on a short list of "Top Solo Flute Recordings Of All Time" by Amazon.com.

Linda has raised the profile of concert flute repertoire to include the exotic compositions gathered during extensive traveling throughout five continents. FANFARE praises the CD "Sound and Repercussion", saying "Wetherill impresses as much by her musicianship, specifically a resistance to overemphasizing the exotic elements of these pieces, as by her technique and tonal resources; and of the CD "Stellar Pieces": "From the list of outstanding soloists, Linda Wetherill captures the flute's subtle shades in "Sirius", her elegant and silvery tone providing a constant delight."

She joined the faculty of Adelphi University, in 1994, coming from Istanbul's celebrated Bosphorus University, where she was lecturer in World Music and Contemporary Music. During five years residence in Turkey, she also formulated courses in History of Western Music for Universities of Izmir, Istanbul and Ankara. Previously holding posts at the French National Conservatory, Philadelphia University of the Arts, Turkish Universities in Izmir, Ankara, and Istanbul,she has given artist master classes in major conservatories of Arabia, Austria, Argentina, Britain, China, Dubai, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Spain, The Netherlands, and Wales. Linda was the resident flutist of the famed Centre Pompidou for International Acoustical Research and there collaborated and premiered works with major composers from all over the world. She has also been principal flutist with the orchestras of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Pierre Boulez' IRCAM Ensemble Intercontemporain of the world-famous Pompidou Centre in Paris. Mr. Boulez dubbed her "an instrumentalist without peer." Currently, Linda is flutist and executive director of NYC's Orchestra of Our Time.

Linda performed her Carnegie Recital debut as winner of East and West Artists International Competition, and was received by the NEW YORK TIMES as "a musician with something to say; her ability to organize and inflect the line was nothing short of seductive. Both in terms of technical mastery and expressive élan, she is really a marvelous player." Her performances in Istanbul, as co-founder of the International Festival of Contemporary Music there produced the response from MILLYET: "Linda Wetherill presented a wonderful flute evening in Istanbul; this relaxing and beautiful concert brought joy to everyone - from beginning to end." In 2004, Linda gave the closing recital for the International Society of Contemporary Music's annual festival, judged the Salzburg, Austrian competition for solo flute compositions, and gave Bach, Mozart and premiere concertos and recitals across the U.S.

Her most recent 2007-8 residency for 3 months in India was hailed by the Ahmedabad critic:
"Flutist Linda Wetherill, Professor at Adelphi University, who is a literal reservoir of music from across the world, is no mere imitator of sound.
She has developed a repertoire which, judging by what connoisseurs of music have said of her, is remarkable for range and expressiveness.
Even those with only a listening acquaintance of music must have found her music at Natarani endowed with exceptional beauty. Highlighted by
musical notes, a mood of mysticism followed by serenity was created."

She has recently published her CD and anthology of International solos for bass and alto flute with the University of Southeast Missouri. Press: Ms Wetherill-Smith’s CD of the late George Rochberg’s Ukuyo-e Japanese Pieces for flute with harp (Susan Jolles) and flute with piano (Christopher Lyndon-Gee) will be released on Naxos “American Classics” in the spring of 2009.