Flutist Christina Jennings is praised for virtuoso technique, rich tone and command of a wide range of literature. The Houston Press declared, “Jennings has got what it takes: a distinctive voice, charisma and a pyrotechnic style that works magic on the ears.” She enjoys a musical career made up of diverse performing and recording, collaborations with living composers and work guiding young musicians. Highlights from this season include filmed courses for Tonebase, a week at the St. Bart’s Music Festival as principal flutist and a return to Miller Theater where she will perform an evening of Bach concertos with pianist Simone Dinnerstein.
Jennings’ recent Naxos disc of flute music by American composer George Rochberg features her transcriptions of the Caprice Variations published by Galaxy Music. With Italian guitarist Nicolò Spera, she released an Albany disc of new music by Christopher Theofanidis; the Record Guild of America praised the project, writing “Flutist Christina Jennings’ pristine ornamental riffs in ‘Pavane I’ and overall musicality mesh seamlessly with Spera’s.”
Active as a concerto soloist, Jennings has appeared with over 50 orchestras and premiered new concertos composed for her by Carter Pann, Marcus Maroney and Laura Elise Schwendinger. The Washington Post described her performance of Jonathan Leshnoff’s concerto with the Fairfax Symphony as a “spirited, quicksilver performance.”
As broad-gauged in her musical pursuits as she is in her repertoire choices, Jennings played 10 years as the principal flute with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (Houston) where the Houston Culture Map described her as a “... flutist (who) glistened with golden pixie dust.” Chamber music partners have included Sō Percussion, the Takács Quartet, the Brasil Guitar Duo and frequent performances with Dinnerstein.
In great demand as a teacher, Jennings is professor of flute at the University of Colorado Boulder, founder of the Panoramic Flutist Seminar and director of winds at Greenwood Music Camp. She is a frequent guest faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp and this summer she will teach at Round Top Festival.
Jennings lives in Boulder with her husband, violist Matthew Dane, and their twin teenagers.