John Thorne

Flutist John Thorne was born in New York City. He attended the Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division and is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where he was a student of Julius Baker, former Principal Flute of the New York Philharmonic. He has also studied privately with Anne Zentner of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Mr. Thorne began his career as a member of the New World Symphony in Miami under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. He has held principal flute positions with the Florida West Coast Symphony and the San Antonio Symphony. In 1992, he became the Associate Principal Flutist of the Houston Symphony.

Mr. Thorne has participated in the Blossom, Tanglewood, and Pacific Music Festivals. He is a regular member of the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. In addition, he has served on the faculty of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. Mr. Thorne frequently performs recitals in the Houston area with Scott Holshouser, Principal Keyboard with the Houston Symphony..
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What inspired you to decide on a career as a musician?
When I was eleven years old, I heard Julius Baker perform and wanted to learn to play just like him. He would later become my teacher and his example still motivates me. His supreme command of the instrument is still unmatched. My mother also sent me to Jean-Pierre Rampal’s masterclass in New York when I was at the ripe age of twelve. I was just a member of the audience, but I had a literal front row seat that allowed me to watch a virtuoso in the prime of his career demonstrate how it should be done.

If you weren’t a professional musician, what would you be?
I come from a family of theater people. By age five I was already acting on stage, so I guess I would have ended up on stage one way or another. My mother taught in the Drama Department of the Juilliard School when I was growing up. (I remember running around the third floor of Juilliard while she was teaching her class.) Our family was close friends with many directors, actors and acting teachers. So when I was growing up, the stage seemed a natural place to spend one’s life.

What piece of music do you most enjoy performing?
Mahler Symphonies are my favorite pieces to perform. They don’t always have the best flute parts, but they are incredible music. Stravinsky and Ravel always amaze me with their command of the orchestra. I also like to play Bartok. (Unfortunately there is no flute part in his “Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste” that is programmed for March.) Though not as famous, I like the music of Francis Poulenc for its quirky, uniquely French character that, if performed well, is very moving.