About Flora
Flora Eyster, flutist, and Slam-Improv Poet, is a Bard College graduate. She studied in Manhattan with Roswell Rudd, as part of the Free-Music Improvisation loft scene. She studied flute with Patricia Spencer and improvisation and composition with Roswell Rudd, Sheila Jordan (workshop), Ben Boretz, Joan Tower, Eli Yarden, Luis Gracia-Renart and Karl Berger/Creative Music Studio (CMS). She was a part of the Brandeis University free improvisation music at "The Joint," WBRS radio station programming, supporting the archival concert series by Marc Leibowitz of the Marc Leibowitz and Laurence Cook project. The WBRS Joint Radio Show hosted Leo Smith, Ed Blackwell, Sun Ra, Henry Threadgill, and Ornette Coleman, among many others. She is a Bard contemporary of Emily Hay, flutist; Zeena Parkins, harpist; and Elliott Sharp, improviser. While abroad for three years, Eyster promoted concerts across Europe in the Outsider-Art music stream, and represented LA and NYC-based artists and projects.
She has appeared on stage with classmates Markus Pinney, Harvey Nosowitz, Neal Grover, Richie Gordon and Malcolm Cecil at Bard College; Steve Rudolph, pianist; Arthur Goldstein, pianist; Jonathan Edwards, percussionist; Mary Knysh (Music for People), multi-instrumentalist; and has appeared on the same bill with Railroad Earth, Cabinet, Donna and the Buffalo and other working artists. Her silver-flute jazz motif style is reminiscent of Yusef Lateef, Ahmad Jamal, Jeremy Steig, Charles Lloyd and Herbie Mann.
A world traveler, her wooden and clay flute sounds are reminiscent of Paul Winter and R. Carlos Nakai, and highlight global world cultures expressionism in ethnic music. Flute lovers' dreams come true! These melodies have complimented short indie films for their travelogue and musical journal styles.
Several films were multi-award winners. She has music film credits for "Neck Deep," an award-winning short and also a short promotional film made for the Lake Placid Film Festival, starring Martin Scorsese. Her composer credits also appear on "All is Normal" (with Steve Mitchell and Andy Seal)—a feature film by Juliana Brafa and Todd Bieber.
Flora is a six-time recipient and administrator of PA Partners on the Arts Grant Awards. Performed on stage/bill with: Railroad Earth, Malcolm Cecil, Roswell Rudd, John Primer, John Lisi, and Papa Mali.
Flora has taught ethnic music courses for communities. Her performances have touched the lives of thousands of children, parents and teachers through school programs. The most popular are “Meet the Flute Family,” featuring over 40 world flutes and “The Jazz Café,” introducing jazz duo compositions, composers and improv techniques to grade school students.
She plays bamboo flutes, the silver-flute family, the recorder family, Native American flutes and ocarina on the Travel in Place Music series.
Flora has appeared on stage with...
© 2023 All photos copyright by: Flora Eyster Newburgh, All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcast prohibited.