Altus Artist George Pope has taught flute at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory since 2002 and is the Emeritus Professor of Flute at the University of Akron, on the faculty from 1978-2013. His solo and chamber music performances throughout the United States, Europe and South America have been universally acclaimed. Fanfare Magazine calls George Pope’s playing “clean, interestingly vigorous and beautiful”. His Ohio premiere of the Christopher Rouse Concerto for Flute and Orchestra was hailed for its “eloquent narrative voice” and “magnificent force”. George Pope was Principal and Solo Flute of the Akron Symphony Orchestra from 1978-2002, and is currently Principal Flute of the Blossom Festival Orchestra. He has also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Ohio Ballet Orchestra, the Cleveland Philharmonic, the Canton Symphony Orchestra, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera Cleveland, the Tulsa Philharmonic, the New Mexico Symphony, the Monteux Festival Orchestra and the Brevard Music Center Orchestra.
A graduate of Northwestern University and The University of Tulsa, George Pope studied with Marion McNally, Maurice Sharp, Walfrid Kujala, Bernard Goldberg, William Bennett and Geoffrey Gilbert. He is a founding member of the SOLARIS Wind Quintet, in residence at The University of Akron. Solaris released its first CD, “American Quintets”, on Capstone Records in August of 2000, which includes his transcription of Bernstein’s “Anniversaries” for woodwind quintet. Solaris’ second Capstone CD, “American Quintets II”, was released in August 2003. Solaris released it’s recording of 5 quintets by Alec Wilder on Crystal Records in August of 2014. George Pope can also be heard on Opus One Records and with the Akron Symphony on Telarc. He is a founding member of The Chamber Music Society of Ohio, and joined the Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival in 2008. He has performed with The Coryton Trio, Furious Band and the Garth Newel Chamber Players in Hot Springs, Virginia.
His master classes throughout the country and the Summer Flute Experience in Akron have firmly established his reputation as a motivational and highly successful teacher. He has appeared as the featured artist in many master classes and festivals, including the Texas Flute Society, the Upper Midwest Flute Association in Minneapolis, the Florida Flute Association, the Central Ohio Flute Association, the Northeastern Ohio Flute Association, the Greater Cleveland Flute Society, the Oklahoma Flute Society, the Arizona Flute Society, the Middle Tennessee Flute Association, the Northwest Flute Collegium in Tacoma, the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, and the German Flute Society in Frankfurt. George Pope has published transcriptions and arrangements through ALRY Publications, etc.
George Pope is active in The National Flute Association, serving in the Presidential cycle (2000-03), Program Chair for the 2000 Convention in Columbus, OH, and as a member of the Board of Directors (1995-97).