Alison Fierst
associate principal flute
Alison Fierst has established herself as a prominent orchestral musician of her generation after she joined the New York Philharmonic as Associate Principal Flute in September of 2019. Alison has appeared as Guest Principal with the San Francisco Symphony, Mainly Mozart Orchestra, and had previously held the position of second flute in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Following her appointment in New York City, Alison discovered an enthusiasm for music education. In the Fall of 2020, she was invited to join the faculty of The Consummate Flutist Masterclass, a series hosted by her alma mater, the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music. In addition, Alison has given lectures at multiple institutions throughout North America, South America, and Asia. Alison maintains a private flute studio in New York City and online.
Highlights from Alison’s position in the orchestra include touring the world and performing with renowned conductors including Gustavo Dudamel, Jaap van Zweden, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, among others. She particularly enjoyed performing in collaboration between the New York Philharmonic and Lizzo for YouTube’s ‘Dear Class of 2020’. You can hear Alison on the soundtrack for Steven Speilberg’s remake of the classic movie, ‘West Side Story’.
Alison has been a fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she performed with the Aspen Festival Orchestra and studied with Nadine Asin, Mark Sparks, and Demarre McGill. Alison’s honors include Second Place in the 2017 National Flute Association Young Artist Competition and First Place in the 2017 Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia Young Artist Competition. She also won First Place in the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) Woodwind Competition and proceeded to win Second Place in the 2018 NSAL National Woodwind Competition.
Alison completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Flute Performance at Carnegie Mellon University in 2018. Her teachers include Alberto Almarza, former New York Philharmonic Principal Flute Jeanne Baxtresser, and Philharmonic Principal Flute Robert Langevin.
