Tara Helen O'Connor
Flutist Tara Helen O'Connor is a charismatic performer known for her unusual artistic depth, brilliant technique and colorful tone in music of every era, as well as for her masterful readings of her huge repertoire of new works. In March 2001 she was awarded a coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant. Ms. OConnor is a member of the woodwind quintet Windscape, a founding member of the 1995 Naumburg Award winning New Millennium Ensemble and she is also the flute soloist of the world renowned Bach Aria Group, following in the footsteps of Samuel Baron and Julius Baker. Ms O'Connor was the first wind player to be chosen to participate in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two program for emerging artists. She continues to perform regularly with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Orpheus, Barge Music, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Chamber Music Northwest, Music from Angel Fire and has been featured on A&E's Breakfast for the Arts. Ms. O'Connor has collaborated with the Orion, Borromeo, and St. Lawrence String Quartets. In the summer of 1999 she made her concerto debut at the Mostly Mozart festival. Ms O'Connor was nominated for a Grammy in January of 2003 for her participation in a recent EMI release. She has also recorded for Arcadia, CRI, Koch International, and Bridge Records. Her recordings of the complete Etudes for Solo Flutes by Isang Yun was presented to the composer in honor of his 75th birthday. This season's highlights include performances with Jamie Laredo, Peter Serkin, Paula Robison and the Kalichstein, Laredo, Robinson Trio. She received a Doctorate from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and she is professor of flute at the Purchase College Conservatory of Music. Ms. OConnor plays a gold Brannen-Cooper flute fitted with a Lafin head joint. An avid photographer, she has photo credits in Time Out, Strad, and Chamber Music America magazines.