Beth Larsen enjoys an active career as an orchestral player, soloist, chamber musician and private teacher. She is the Second Flute/Piccolo with the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra, the Southwest Florida Symphony and Third flute/piccolo with the Naples Philharmonic. With these ensembles she has collaborated with some of the world’s leading artists including Joshua Bell, Renee Fleming, Placido Domingo, Angela Georghiu, Frederica von Stade, Kathleen Battle, Jose Carreras, Andre Bocelli, James Taylor, Gloria Estefan and Styx.
As a soloist, Ms. Larsen performed the Vivaldi Piccolo Concerto in C Major with the Palm Beach Symphony and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 4 with the Southwest Florida Symphony. As the winner of the prestigious Myrna Brown National Flute Competition, she performed the Mozart Flute Concerto in D Major with the Dallas Chamber Orchestra. She is also the recipient of the Geoffrey Gilbert Memorial Scholarship Award, which is given annually by the Florida Flute Association in recognition to an outstanding performer. As a chamber musician, Beth was a founding member of the jazz/classical flute ensemble, Wye’s Guys and Tour de Flute. Performances with these groups took her to venues across the United States, Mexico and England where they premiered pieces arranged for them by the renowned flute pedagogue, Trevor Wye. Beth is also a founding member of the Mountain Laurel Trio (flute/clarinet/piano). As advocates for new music, in 2008 they commissioned and premiered the Mountain Laurel Suite by James Stephenson. Beth is also a frequent guest flutist with the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival. As a teacher, Beth maintains a busy, private flute studio in Ft. Myers where she lives with her flutist husband, Bill Larsen. For 30+ years, they have taught generations of accomplished flutists who have gone on to hold teaching and playing positions across the United States. They have given flute master classes across the state including Stetson University where they have been guest artists for the 2016-2019 Summer Flute Workshops. In 2015, they were the featured flutists at the Florida Flute Association’s Annual convention in Orlando. Ms. Larsen's flute teachers were Matt Straub, Geoffrey Gilbert, Charles Delaney, Kyril Magg, and Jack Wellbaum. She earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from The Florida State University and a Master of Music Degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Post graduate studies were with Peter Lloyd, William Bennett and Trevor Wye. When she’s not playing her flute, Beth enjoys yoga, traveling, hiking, and cooking. |