Rebecca Gilbert

Biography

Rebecca Gilbert joined the RPO as principal flute (The Charlotte Whitney Allen Chair) in the 1996-97 season. As a regularly featured soloist, her expressive and versatile playing has illuminated the RPO’s Philharmonics and Pops Series performances. She has performed as acting principal flute of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and guest assistant principal flute with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. Previous appointments include principal flute of the Charleston Symphony and second flute of the Dayton Philharmonic

As an active soloist/recitalist, she has performed solo and chamber music concerts with the Society for Chamber Music in Rochester, First Muse (Rochester), Live from Hochstein, Skaneateles Festival, Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Charles Ives Center for the Arts Contemporary Music Festival, and the Chautauqua Chamber Players. She has performed concerti with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Philharmonia Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and the Penfield Symphony Orchestra.

From 2000-01, Gilbert served as visiting artist in residence at the Juilliard School (Jeanne Baxtresser International Flute Masterclass), and has given masterclasses in orchestral flute playing across the U.S. Her interest in the similarities between orchestral playing and chamber music playing was the subject of a program entitled “The Chamber Music of Orchestral Teamwork” that she presented with the RPO flute section for the National Flute Association.

She has served as lecturer in flute performance at Ithaca College, and adjunct faculty flutist at the College of Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), as well as the College of Charleston. She has served as vice president and program coordinator of the Rochester Flute Association and maintains an active teaching schedule with her private flute studio and as coach/mentor with the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

A Wisconsin native, Gilbert began playing the flute at age nine. She earned a master’s degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and attended the Centre International De Formation Musicale in Nice, France. Her principal flute teachers include Jeanne Baxtresser, Randolph Bowman, Kyril Magg, and Gwen Powell. She lives in the Highland Park neighborhood with her husband Gavin Rigg, their two boys Julian and Malcolm, and their Rhodesian Ridgeback Nala.

School of Music Responsibilities

  • Applied Flute

Education

  • Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, M.M.

Rebecca Gilbert