Joanne Lazzaro

As a classically trained orchestral flutist, Joanne Lazzaro has played all over the USA including Los Angeles (Disney Hall, New York, and Chicago (Symphony Center) and around the world; Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, & the Netherlands. She’s shared the stage with artists as varied as CeCe Winans, James Galway, Billy Childs, and Serj Tankian, and played for the Prince of Monaco.

Currently the Principal Flute for the Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra; she also performs with the groups Los Angeles Flute Orchestra and Pipe Dreams, plus ad-hoc appearances in other Southern California orchestras. She enjoys studio recording sessions, and collaborating on demos for film composers.

 

Joanne talks about her debut album “I was tremendously inspired by Paul Horn’s Inside the Taj Mahal the first time I heard it. The idea for making a similar live, improvised recording, using a telescope dome and astronomy-based themes, became a reality during a chance conversation at a party. UNDER THE STARS came together surprisingly quickly – everyone who heard about the project in September of 2014 wanted to support it. I remain indebted to the Mount Wilson Observatory and the Art Institute - Inland Empire, who were instrumental in making the recording possible.” The resulting one-hour CD UNDER THE STARS and companion digital EP of out-takes UNDER THE STARS, TOO! (for the serious NAF improvisation enthusiast) captures the sense of wonder that we all feel when we look into the night sky.

 

In 2018 Joanne started her own record label – JoRazzal Music, to produce and release her first classical album: CANYON SHADOWS, by New York composer Katherine Hoover. After reading a comment online about a modern suite for Native flute, classical flute & percussion that was first performed at the Grand Canyon in 1999, she obtained the composer’s permission to make the world-premiere recording. Encouraged by the excellent performance by Dreamcatcher (with Terry Wolff, flute & Dean Hinkley, percussion and the successful release of the album, she worked with the composer’s estate to edit and publish the sheet music, which went on the win the National Flute Association’s Newly Published Music Award in 2019. In her first foray into remote global recording, 2091 also brought the release of the orchestral classical single "A Dark Goddess," for flute and strings by David W. Solomons, playing the solo flute and featuring the St. Petersburg Orchestra (Russia).  New projects planned in the coming year include an album collaboration with Susan SurfTone (based on the success of their first single "Lava Walker - Live"), and another world premiere recording - SUITE ESMERELDA FOR FLUTE & PIANO, by Eric V. Baum - a classical/smooth jazz crossover EP to be released in mid-2021 on vinyl and streaming platforms.

  

Joanne is the founder and host of the Los Angeles World Flute Circle, explaining her motivation – “This is my way of inspiring new world flutists, and giving back to the community.” She is currently a member of the National Flute Association, World Flute Society, The Recording Academy (the Grammys®), AFM Local 47 (Los Angeles), and ASCAP (Los Angeles). She recently discovered (through DNA analysis) that her heritage is 2/10ths of 1% Native American (tribe undetermined). 

Joanne received her music degrees from Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania (BS Music Education) and University of Southern California Thornton School of Music (Master of Music), and maintains a private teaching studio for students interested in classical flute, Native American flutes, recorder, shakuhachi and other world flutes. 

Discography

Albums:

UNDER THE STARS (2015) 

UNDER THE STARS, TOO! (2015)  

CANYON SHADOWS (2018) * World Premiere Recording

Singles: 

"A Dark Goddess – For Flute & Strings" (2019) *World Premiere Recording

"Lava Walker (Live)" (2018) with Susan SurfTone

Appearing with the Los Angeles Flute Orchestra

NUESTRO PUEBLO (2014) *World Premiere Recording

WINTER WONDERLAND (2012)

STROKE OF TWELVE (2005)