UM School of Music - Amy Porter

Amy Porter was awarded the 2006 Henry Russel Award from the University of Michigan for distinguished scholarship and conspicuous ability as a teacher. This is only the third time since 1926 that this award has been given to a Professor in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance and the first time ever awarded to a performing artist.

A native of Wilmington, Delaware, Ms. Porter is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York where she received a full scholarship for her degrees as well as fellowships to Tanglewood and The Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria. After Juilliard, she held the position of Associate Principal Flute in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for eight years before becoming Professor of Flute at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance in Ann Arbor. She is the founder and Past President of the non-profit Southeast Michigan Flute Association. She is founder of the popular workshop, "Amy Porter's Anatomy of Sound" held annually in Ann Arbor with Professor of Theatre (Movement) Jerald Schwiebert and internationally renowned guests.

Ms. Porter first leapt to international attention winning the Kobe International Flute Competition in Japan, which led to invitations to perform throughout the world. She performs recitals in the major concert halls of Taipei, Osaka and Tokyo with pianist Christopher Harding. She performs as concerto soloist with orchestras and performs solo recitals in major cities of the United States. Award-winning University of Michigan composer Michael Daugherty is writing Ms. Porter a concerto for Flute and Orchestra called The Trail of Tears Concerto, to be premiered in November 2009, with the Omaha Symphony. In the spring of 2009, composer Joel Puckett will be writing a concerto for flute and band dedicated to Ms. Porter and commissioned by the University of Michigan Symphony Band .

Ms. Porter has recorded on the CBS Masterworks, Boston Records, Equilibrium and ACA Digital labels. Recent CD releases include Passacaglia, Music or Solo Flute by Roszá, Dohnányi, Hindemith and Karg-Elert and the premiere recording of William Bolcom's Lyric Concerto for Flute and Orchestra. In 2006, Ms. Porter released her first DVD, Karg-Elert 30 Caprices: A Study Guide with Amy Porter and published her arrangement of Six Songs for Flute and Piano by Benjamin Godard.

Ms. Porter has won numerous international competitions, including; Paris/Ville d'Avray International Flute Competition in France, combined with the Alphonse Leduc Prize for outstanding musicianship; The Third Kobe International Flute Competition in Kobe, Japan and the Special Prize for the best performance of the commissioned work required at the competition; National Flute Association Competition in the United States; Artists International; and Ima Hogg competitions. In 2005 she returned to Kobe, Japan to serve as the American jury member at the Sixth Kobe International Flute Competition.

Ms. Porter is much sought after for her teaching and masterclasses based on her versatility as a musician. She has given masterclasses in Sweden, France and Japan and Taiwan as well in major cities throughout the United States. She has served as Resident Guest Artist for the Jeanne Baxtresser International Masterclass at Juilliard and teaches and performs at the Aria International Summer Academy. She has been a featured guest at the Marrowstone Music Festival, Coach of the 2003 Youth Orchestra of the Americas Tour in Costa Rica, master teacher at, the 2002 Summer Academy in Courchevel, France and performed at the 2001 World Festival of Amateur Orchestras in Nagoya, Japan.

Ms. Porter has been heard in recital on National Public Radio, highlighted on PBS Live From Lincoln Center and featured on the cover of Flute Talk Magazine.