Julietta Curenton
Known for her “bold and dramatically characterized playing” (Dallas Morning News), “great artistic sense” and “tone that draws in one’s ear with sounds and ideas that simply cannot be resisted,” (Philadelphia Inquirer) Julietta Curenton has established herself as a leading flute soloist, chamber and orchestral player, professor and clinician.
Dr. Curenton won Premiere Prix at the Journées de les Harpes Competition in Arles, France and first prize at the National Flute Association young artist competition and Astral Artists’ national auditions. She has made several solo guest appearances with The National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, The Kennedy Center Institute Orchestra, Temple University Orchestra, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra and others. Most recently, she performed the New York premiere of Dr. James Lee III’s evocative flute concerto, “Niiji Memories” with the Stony Brook University Symphony Orchestra.
Curenton has collaborated extensively with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Imani Winds, JACK quartet and the Ritz Chamber Players at the Shanghai Contemporary Music Festival, Beijing Modern Music Festival, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Chamber Music Northwest, Dallas Chamber Music Society, Mostly Mozart Festival of Lincoln Center, among others. Curenton has been the principal player for American Composers Orchestra in New York City and the Soulful Symphony - a Baltimore based ensemble acclaimed for its performances of classical, jazz, gospel and popular music. Curenton is currently the acting principal flautist of the National Philharmonic, ensemble-in-residence at Strathmore Hall in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Curenton frequently commissions women and African American composers to write new, innovative and accessible works for the flute, some of which have been featured on New York's WQXR Young Artists Showcase, Philadelphia's WRTI's Performance Studio and her solo debut album entitled "Harambee: The Power of Sisterhood” featuring works by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton and Amanda Harberg. Curenton frequently champions works written by both composers. Her commission of Harberg’s “Feathers and Wax for flute and piano” instigated numerous, additional commissions of Harberg’s work for the NFA. Curenton can also be heard on the groundbreaking Grammy nominated jazz album of Miguel Zenon entitled “Alma Adentro”, Esperanza Spalding’s Grammy Award winning album “Twelve Little Spells” and the Smithsonian Folkways “Praise the Lord” album among her musical family.
Performance highlights for the 2024-2025 season include a premiere of Amanda Harberg’s piccolo concerto with the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra at Shenandoah Conservatory in September and again with the orchestra at the Virginia Music Educators Association conference in November. Curenton is also very excited to give the Atlanta debut of Dr. James Lee III’s flute concerto “Nijji Memories” at the 2025 National Flute Association conference.
Dr. Curenton is an alumna of Ensemble Connect (Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and The Weill Music Institute) - a ground-breaking educational program that brings music education to underserved schools and areas in New York City. Curenton continues to enthusiastically empower the next generation of young flautists through music education. She recently collaborated with Alfred Music on Sound Artistry Intermediate Method book which bridges the gap to instrument-specific conservatory methods.
In 2022, Dr. Curenton was appointed Assistant Professor of Flute at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. Dr. Curenton holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, Master of Music degree from The Royal Northern College of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University. She plays on a silver elite model Burkart Flute and is a proud Burkart Flutes & Piccolos artist.