Hideko Amano

Flutist Hideko Amano was born in Japan and came to the United States at the age of 12. Upon arriving in America, she began studying flute under Ms. Susan Levitin, and soon won many young artist competition awards. Her performance debut occurred in 1990 at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall (Symphony Center), where she performed as a soloist for Chaminade’s Concertino for Flute and Orchestra. In 1995, she earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she studied under the prominent flutist Ms. Paula Robison. In 1996, she gave a joint performance with Ms. Robison in a concert series for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. From 1995 to 1998, Ms. Amano continued her musical education in Europe at the l’Ecole Normale de Paris, where she studied under Mr. Mathieu Dufour, who has since joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as principal flutist. Presently Mr. Dufour moved back to Europe and he is a principal soloist flute of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany. While studying in Paris, she also performed in many international Chamber Music Festivals in Italy, England, and Morocco. In 1997, she traveled to Haifa, Israel, and performed as a soloist in Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp. Since her return to Chicago in 1998, she has continued her career as an active recitalist. She has performed on the WFMT 98.7 Monday Evening Series and Dame Myra Hess Concert Series at Cultural Center. She is actively involved with several Japanese organizations and performed in a concert series at the House of Consul General of Japan. In addition to her performing career, Ms. Amano also maintains a growing private studio. Her students have won competitions including the Union League Competition, SAM, Chicago Flute Club, Chicago Symphony Youth Concerto Competitions, and many others; and went on to study at major universities. She has students who attended and attending Juilliard, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Illinois, Northwestern University, Cleveland Institute, and Indiana University. From 2003 to 2007, Ms. Amano was an adjunct professor of flute at DePaul University in Lincoln Park, Illinois. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Harper College and an instructor at Midwest Young Artists.