Alberto Almarza

Biography

Alberto Almarza serves on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University as Associate Professor of Flute, and previously held the position of principal flute of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Chile, his native country. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of Carnegie Mellon’s The Consummate Flutist.

His skills as a pedagogue, lecturer, and recitalist have led to invitations from major conservatories and international festivals around the world. He has served on the faculty of the Atlantic Music Festival, Instrumenta International Music Festival in Mexico, for ten years on the faculty of FEMUSC (Festival de Música de Santa Catarina, Brazil), the largest music festival in Latin America. His former students have won national and international competitions, hold positions in major orchestras across the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, and occupy prestigious academic posts.

Mr. Almarza has been an active member of the National Flute Association, serving on the Advisory Board for New Music and the Career and Artistic Development Committees. He is currently a member of the Flutist Quarterly Editorial Board and served as Program Chair for the 2024 NFA Convention.

As a performer, Mr. Almarza has appeared as soloist with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, BachFest Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonic, National Symphony, and National Chamber Orchestras of Chile, as well as the National Orchestra of Colombia. He was also invited to perform at a TED Conference, among many other appearances.

Almarza has collaborated with distinguished artists including Julius Baker, Andrés Cárdenes, Alex Klein, Lionel Party, Victor Rosenbaum, Cuarteto Latinoamericano, and the Arianna String Quartet. As a leading proponent of new music for the flute, Mr. Almarza has been instrumental in expanding the repertoire through numerous commissions and premieres of works by composers from around the world. Works written for him include six flute concertos and dozens of solo and chamber compositions.

His recordings can be heard on labels including Naxos, New Albion, Elán, Albany Records, and Centaur Recordings, as well as on radio broadcasts of International Music from Carnegie Mellon throughout North and South America. In addition, Mr. Almarza is engaged in the curation and preservation of historically and archaeologically significant flutes from around the world, reflecting his lifelong passion for the instrument’s global heritage. He and his extensive flute collection were featured on the PBS program Horizons.

Mr. Almarza is the recipient of the 2025 Mexican National Flute Association Lifetime Achievement Award. His leadership extends across borders through advisory roles with prominent organizations, including the International Flute and Piccolo Festival of Oaxaca (Mexico), the Al Sur del Mundo International Flute Festival (Chile), the Latin American International Flute Competition (Colombia), and the International Flute Competition of Chile.

His work as an adjudicator includes, among others, the National Flute Association Young Artist Competition, Texas Flute Society Myrna W. Brown Competition, Mexico International Flute Competition (Xalapa), Latin American International Flute Competition (Colombia), Al Sur del Mundo Festival Young Artist Competition, as well as annual scholarship awards for The Consummate Flutist.

Outside of his professional life, Mr. Almarza enjoys adventure motorcycling and has traveled to remote regions around the world, including Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, the Arctic Circle in Alaska, and secluded areas of New Zealand. He is also an avid birdwatcher, photographer, and a private pilot.

SPECIALTIES:
Baroque flute
Extended techniques
Audition preparation
Competition preparation
Practice coach
Baroque and Classical performance practice
Contemporary music
World music-influenced flute repertoire

LANGUAGES:
English, Spanish, basic Italian, basic Portuguese