Biography
The professional path of award-winning flutist Boglárka Kiss defies categorization. She has built a distinguished career in higher education as a full professor, published researcher, dean, director, and champion of students. She is a nationally recognized human-centered designer working with public agencies. In the private sector, she gained valuable experience as a management consultant at a prestigious firm, worked at an AI startup, and founded and now leads her own small business.
Still, the underlying constant in her life has been music. She has had the good fortune to be a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and a recording artist. Her musical journey has taken her to many unexpected places: from opera in Montana, recital appearances in Europe, to recording on many kinds of flutes for film and album projects in LA’s studio scene.
In her own words,
Music has taught me (almost) everything: From disciplined and methodical hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit, to collaborative, presentation, problem-solving, and leadership skills, being a flute player has provided me with many tools.
Acquiring solid musical skills requires dedication and perseverance. Musicians are natural conceptual thinkers: We recognize patterns, distill complex ideas, and make decisions, be it in the practice room, while teaching, or on stage.
Music is our tool for communication, and our effectiveness depends on how well we listen, react to, and collaborate with others, and how well we present ourselves on stage.
Musicians work well alone as well as in teams: Ideally, we practice on our own and come together in rehearsals and performances. In the latter two settings, we collaborate, lead, and follow one another, depending on what the musical moment demands.
Music keeps me humble: As a musician, I am but a conduit in a long tradition, passing on the art form to the next generation to the best of my abilities. Music has been the constant companion in my life.
True to her commitment to explore life’s many gifts, her latest adventure has taken her to the beautiful sport of rowing as an athlete and coach.
…and for those interested in the standard musician bio:
As an orchestral musician, she has collaborated with luminaries such as Alan Silvestri, Joel McNeely, John Debney, and Jorge Mester, and has performed in many of LA’s most prestigious venues. As a soloist, she gave the first U.S. performance of Endre Szervánszky’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra. She and pianist Robert Thies gave the first European performance of Billy Childs’ Sonata for Flute and Piano shortly after completing the premier recording of the work. She is also a dedicated chamber musician, appearing in various ensembles on LA’s chamber music circuit, and she also enjoys working in the recording studio.
She is extremely proud of her former students who have found success in the world as wonderful human beings who give back to their community, and work in music and other fields as performers, conductors, teachers, technicians, and mentors to the next generation.
Educated in Europe, at Whittier College, the University of California, Boston University, and Stanford University, Boglárka’s mentors include Anne Zentner, Julius Baker, James Newton, and Kei Akagi, all of whom have had a profound impact on her values and career path.
