About Laura: Short bio below

Laura Lentz is a passionate interpreter of contemporary music, praised for her "striking, meticulous flute playing" and deep commitment to sharing the work of today’s most forward-thinking composers. Based in Rochester, NY, Lentz’s performances have been described as "gorgeous" and "riveting," and she is dedicated to both performance and mentorship through her work as a soloist and collaborator.

Laura’s debut recording, Jacob’s Triptych, was released in March, 2023. Described as “a dazzling, showstopper collection” (Flutist Quarterly), and “rewards repeat hearings” (CITY News), the EP brings together flute and electronics music by internationally known Dutch composer Jacob ter Veldhuis (AKA JacobTV), with two works dedicated to Laura. The recording has appeared on various radio programs for new classical music including WNYC’s “New Sounds” (twice) with host John Schaefer, and on Dutch Radio’s “Unheard” program. Laura released her second EP, Timeless, in April, 2024, featuring atmospheric pieces by the Norwegian composer Kari Telstad Sundet. Her solo work this season includes the release of her third EP, Prismatic/Plasmonic with works by Sean William Calhoun, Claude Debussy, and Chloe Upshaw, and new works for flute + string quartet by Marc Mellits & JacobTV w/ the Pittsburgh, PA-based Beo String Quartet as part of a new project, Serendipity.

In 2015, Laura co-founded fivebyfive, a collaboratively-minded NY-based chamber group, and became its Artistic Director in 2020. The group has received numerous awards and support for its imaginative programming from The Eastman School of Music, New York State Council on the Arts, Chamber Music America, and New Music USA. fivebyfive works with a multitude of collaborating partners to create events that permeate innovative, cross-genre programming and community engagement. For its fourth album, Eclipse, fivebyfive will be working with the Grammy-nominated label Bright Shiny Things, releasing music by Marc Mellits, Jessica Meyer, Glenn McClure, and Kamala Sankaram in fall 2024.

As an author, Laura included nineteen miniatures for solo flute written for her in two self-published collections, Comfort Pieces for Solo Flute and Nature Pieces for Solo Flute. Her new book, Modal Flute Warmup, released December, 2023 with Conway Publications, is sold internationally. The book is geared towards flutists and teachers and encourages discovery in one’s flute playing through a warmup approach that uses modes. Laura has presented about the book at the National Flute Association Convention (San Antonio), Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention, New York Flute Club, Wisconsin Flute Festival, Philadelphia Flute Society, and Rochester Flute Fair, among others. Accolades for the book include the National Flute Association: “Laura has created a new path for all of us…enthusiastically recommended,” and the Rochester Flute Association: “Modal Flute Warmup is not simply a flute technique regimen that encourages proper skill building. It encourages confidence.” Dedicated to the greater flute community, Laura holds free virtual sessions about the book for all to attend.

A thoughtful and committed teacher-mentor, Laura teaches a large studio of students who enjoy successes in regional festivals, competitions, and youth orchestras, and is frequently invited to present flute masterclasses and workshops across the country. Also a frequently invited guest speaker, Laura draws from her first-hand experience as artistic director of fivebyfive, performing/recording artist, author, university teacher, and studio teacher. She has taught at the Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership, and is on faculty at Nazareth University, guiding students of all arts disciplines to seek funding for their creative projects. Additionally, Laura created  The Insightful Creative, with interviews, articles, and resources to support creatives in their work.

Laura is based in Rochester, NY.

Short bio

Laura Lentz is a passionate interpreter of contemporary music, praised for her "striking, meticulous flute playing" and deep commitment to sharing the work of today’s most forward-thinking composers. Based in Rochester, NY, Lentz’s performances have been described as "gorgeous" and "riveting," and she is dedicated to both performance and mentorship through her work as a soloist and collaborator. Debut solo recording includes works dedicated to her by Dutch composer JacobTV, and her recently published book, Modal Flute Warmup, encourages discovery in one’s playing using modes, is sold internationally. Flutist/Artistic Director of award-winning fivebyfive, her solo work this season includes the release of her third EP Prismatic/Plasmonic and new works by Marc Mellits and JacobTV for flute + string quartet as part of a new project, Serendipity.