JESSICA AURA TASKOV, FLUTE
Described as “exquisite” by the South Florida Classical Review and “meticulous” and “topnotch” by New York Music Daily, Flutist and Native New Yorker, Jessica Aura Taskov enjoys a versatile career as an orchestral, chamber, and solo musician. Recent engagements including performing with the Metropolitan Opera for regular and HD broadcasts in theaters, and on WQXR and SiriusXM Radio, Nashville Symphony in concert and for live broadcast, Principal Flute for DCINY (Distinguished Concerts International) in Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Reading Symphony in Reading, PA, Principal Flute of the New England Symphonic Ensemble since 2016, the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra in Cooperstown NY, and recently completed the national tour of the broadway show “An American in Paris” as well as many of NYC’s freelance orchestras including New York Concert Artists, Hudson Valley Singers, Brooklyn Metro Chamber Orchestra, etc.
As a soloist, Ms. Taskov has appeared with the New Jersey Philharmonic, Ensemble 212, Doctors Orchestral Society of New York, performing all works by Mozart for flute and orchestra, and on the Roundhill Concert Series in Greenwich, CT, Grinberg Classical Series in NYC, and as a first prize winner of the Alexander and Buono International Flute Competition in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie and with the Purchase Camerata as winner of the Baroque Concerto Competition.
Upon completing a master’s degree with full scholarship from LYNN University Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, FL, Ms. Taskov began performing with the Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Palm Beach Pops, Southwest Florida Symphony, and award-winning vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire. Other orchestral experience includes Principal Flutist for the Pennsylvania Philharmonic, DiCapo Opera, as well as performances at Brooklyn’s Bargemusic, the United Nations, and has performed for former President Clinton. Ms. Taskov has also performed with the Münchner Symphoniker under direction of Philip Entremont, and in Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Festival Orchestra, and has participated in Broadway national tours of Evita, Porgy and Bess, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz.
Ms. Taskov also plays with the critically acclaimed Gil Evans project at the Jazz Standard, NYC and the live recorded album “Lines of Color” was released in 2015 on Blue Note Records and nominated for a Grammy. Advocate of new music, Ms. Taskov’s most recent world premiere performance was “Water Among the Stones” for flute and piano by Stephen Siegel in 2018. In 2020, Ms. Taskov was featured on a NYC Artist concert at the 2020 NYC Flute Fair playing works of NYC composers Lev “Ljova” Zhurbin and Steven Siegel. Ms. Taskov’s principal teachers were Tara Helen O’Connor, Robert Langevin (NYPhil), Stephanie Mortimore (Met Opera), and Keith Underwood. An active educator, Ms. Taskov additionally maintains a private studio, substitute teaches and Bard College, and Hofstra University, and formerly served as faculty at the Center for Preparatory Studies and Queens College.