Ernestine Whitman has been a member of the Lawrence Conservatory faculty since 1978. She has distinguished herself as teacher, solo recitalist, professional orchestral player, and chamber musician. Early in her teaching career she was awarded the Lawrence University Young Teacher Award, reflecting the remarkable success she has had in the flute studio. She has appeared as concerto soloist with the Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra and the Lawrence University Wind Ensemble, as well as numerous solo and chamber music recitals, including several appearances on "Sunday Afternoon Live from the Elvejhem" on Wisconsin Public Radio.
For seven years Ms. Whitman was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, where she performed under such notable conductors as Robert Shaw, Leopold Stokowski, James Levine, and David Zinman. She appeared as soloist with the orchestra with Peter Serkin in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #4 and has performed in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. She was also a member of the Atlanta Symphony Woodwind Quintet, which performed regularly on the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center chamber music series. She has participated in various summer festivals, including the New Sarasota Music Festival, the London Symphony at Daytona Beach, and the Grand Teton Music Festival, where she played under Leonard Bernstein, Jascha Horenstein, Andre Previn, and others.
After graduating with honors from Emory University, Ms. Whitman earned her master's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her principal teachers include Robert Cole, James Pappoutsakis, Paula Robison and Geofffrey Gilbert. In addition to her years with the Atlanta Symphony, Ms. Whitman has played principal flute with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Classical Music Seminar Orchestra, which performed throughout Austria and Hungary, and the Pamiro Opera Company.
Although Ms. Whitman has focal dystonia, a repetitive motion injury that causes a type of paralysis in her left hand, she was able to perform for many years on a specially designed flute, which is pictured on the Flute Studio Home Page.
Contact by e-mail: ernestine.whitman@lawrence.edu