Biography

Flutist Brooke Walden is a passionate performer and dedicated educator whose artistry has been recognized for its beauty and emotional depth. A Young Artist Winner of the Eastern Music Festival’s 2022 Concerto Competition, she performed Hüe’s Fantasy for Flute and Orchestra under the baton of José-Luis Novo, after which the Classical Voice of North Carolina praised her “lovely tone… rich steady vibrato and wide range of dynamics”.

Brooke is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School under the mentorship of Jeffrey Khaner. She performs regularly with the Juilliard Orchestra and plays with the Juilliard Lab Orchestra, working with conductors including Marin Alsop, Gianandrea Noseda, Nicholas Carter, Gustavo Dudamel, Louis Langrée, Ken Lam, and David Robertson. She recently appeared as Principal Flute with The Syracuse Orchestra.

A committed interdisciplinary collaborator, Brooke was featured in Juilliard’s 2025 Fall Festival, improvising solo flute alongside a reading of Joy Harjo’s Remember by drama student Emmy Zu. She will present Kian Ravaei’s iPod Variations at the Juilliard Future Stages Festival in March, a work for flute, violin, and electronics. This creative exploration extends into her chamber music, where she performs with the woodwind quintet The Tree People and participates in Juilliard’s Mixed-Ensemble (MXE) Seminar, exploring contemporary works for flute and guitar as well as flute and harp. She has received guidance from Valerie Coleman and Carol Wincenc. 

Brooke performs throughout New York City as a Juilliard Gluck Community Service Fellow with her flute and oboe duo Duet of Air, bringing interactive programs to hospitals, psychiatric wards, homeless shelters, and elder-care facilities. This season, the duo will appear with Lincoln Center Moments, offering a 90-minute program centered on joy, comfort and companionship for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

Deeply engaged in artistry that invites connection, meaningful exchange, and shared expression, Brooke is equally devoted to creating space for accessible music education. Throughout her master’s, Brooke has served as the Flute Fellow for Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, a tuition-free Saturday initiative for dedicated young musicians from underrepresented backgrounds. She mentors and performs alongside the students, inspired by the formative support she received during her early training at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege. She further nurtures the creative potential of young learners through Juilliard’s Morse Teaching Artist Fellowship and the Harmony Program Teaching Artist Fellowship.

Prior to her time at Juilliard, Brooke earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from the Eastman School of Music, studying with Bonita Boyd on flute and Anne Harrow on piccolo. She placed on the Dean’s List every semester, graduated with Highest Distinction, and was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, a national honor society recognizing excellence in musicianship and scholarship. Her Eastman years encompassed extensive orchestral, chamber, contemporary, and recording work, including serving as Principal Flute on selections from the Eastman Wind Ensemble’s album Tyzik Joyride: The Music of Jeff Tyzik, featuring jazz saxophonist Alexa Tarantino. Her woodwind quintet was selected twice for the schoolwide Honors Chamber Music Recital competition and was active across Rochester, offering educational concerts for children through the Eastman to Go program and promoting inclusion through a 2023 Representation Matters concert for Black History Month, where they were featured on WROC News.

Brooke has performed in masterclasses for Denis Bouriakov, Ian Clarke, Aaron Goldman, Amy Porter, and members of Imani Winds and WindSync. She is also passionate about conducting, writing, research, Alexander Technique, and music therapy.