A Journey of the Heart

Geri Rizzo is a fine professional free lance flutist who has had a successful and varied career which has taken her from orchestra pit to cool jazz to rock and roll.  

She has performed with the Atlantic Pops, a symphonic band, for fifteen years, as well as the Bay Atlantic Symphony and Ocean City Pops.  Geri has also performed in various jazz ensembles throughout Atlantic County such as Jersey Shore Jazz Vespers, the Atlantic City casinos and in jazz groups various ensembles for and private events.  Geri has also performed in the Tri-State Symphony (NY) and Fine Arts Symphony (NY); the Hudson Valley Wind Ensemble (NY).  Geri has also performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kimmel Center with the Atlantic Pops.  

She loves being a church musician and  a private flute instructor, presently at Stockton University and in her home studio. 

In 2016 Geri formed Flutes for Peace.

More information here:  www.FlutesForPeace.org 

Formal Background

Geri Rizzo studied applied flute  at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts on a full scholarship where she studied with James Pappoutsakis of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She also studied with Francis Blaisdell, principal flutist with the New York Metropolitan Opera orchestra at the Manhattan School of Music in NY and is well versed in the classical pedagogy.  She began her journey as a flutist at age ten and at fifteen was studying with world class flutist and conductor Claude Monteux who proclaimed her a "natural". At 17 she toured with the NY State Symphony.  Other fine flutists of the Golden Age with whom she studied include Jim Walker and Julius Baker.  Gary Schocker was an amazing mentor when jumpstarting her playing after a 15 year respite. 

"It's never to late to start over -- Life is too short to have regrets!" she quips.