James Pappoutsakis: His Artistry and Inspired Teaching

James Pappousakis made a series of recordings on teaching and playing the flute. Ms. Barwell transcribed, edited, and annotated these tapes to share Mr. Pappoutsakis' great contribution to American flute playing.

James Pappoutsakis was born in 1911 in Cairo, Egypt of Greek parents. He came to Boston as an infant and attended the Boston Latin High School. Upon graduating from high school he attended the New England Conservatory of Music where he studied with Georges Laurent, Principal Flute of the Boston Symphony.

In 1937, he joined the Boston Symphony as Assistant Principal Flute and Principal Flute of the Boston Pops. He toured Japan and Australia with the Boston Symphony as Principal Flute, conducted by Charles Munch. Pappoutsakis was the soloist with the Zimbler Sinfonietta on their tour to Central and South America. In 1960 and 1968 he played concertos by Telemann and Bach with the Boston Symphony in Boston and at Tanglewood, and was an occasional soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, conducted by Arthur Fiedler.

Mr. Pappoutsakis taught at the New England Conservatory of Music, The Longy School of Music, Boston University, and the Boston Conservatory. Remarkably, eighteen of his pupils went on to win Fulbright Scholarships in Europe and still more took their places in symphony orchestras and in teaching positions at various colleges and high schools across America. He was famous for his vibrant, singing, expressive flute tone which he successfully taught his students. He was an incredibly dedicated and gifted teacher.

He was married to Louise Came Pappoutsakis, former harpist with the Boston Symphony, and they had one daughter, Anita.

Mr. Pappoutsakis left his position in the Boston Symphony a year before his death. He made a series of cassette recordings of his ideas on teaching and playing the flute. These recordings are the foundation for the book by Ms. Barwell. He continued to teach at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, until a month before his death from complications of emphysema in 1979.

Nina Barwell's musical training includes a degree with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music where she studied with James Pappoutsakis, a Fulbright fellowship to study with Jean-Pierre Rampal, and master classes with Marcel Moyse.  She holds a master of music degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook where she studied with Samuel Baron.  While living in Europe she concertized throughout France, was a flutist for the contemporary music ensemble of the Sorbonne, and appeared as a soloist with the Uppsala Orchestra of Sweden.

Upon returning to the United States, Ms. Barwell joined the faculty of music at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point where she taught flute, chamber music and performed with the Walden Woodwind Quintet.  She has also taught at the School of Music at Ohio University, and at the School of Music at Boston University.

Ms. Barwell has presented an acclaimed debut recital at Carnegie Recital Hall. The New York Times wrote of her concert that "her playing reflected the skill and assurance of a seasoned performer", and "she played beautifully.”

She has performed at Tanglewood  with the Berkshire Music Center Orchestra, with the San Diego Symphony for a summer season, has directed the Late Spring Baroque Festival in residence at the Brookhaven National Laboratories, L.I., New York, and for two summers performed at the Bach Aria Festival, Stony Brook, New York. Ms. Barwell has performed several times on WGBH Radio and played two solo recitals in Jordan Hall at the New England Conservatory of Music.

Presently Ms. Barwell plays in Symphony New Hampshire, teaches flute at Tufts University, and directs the Tufts flute ensemble.  She also teaches flute at the New England Conservatory of Music, Preparatory School and at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts.

At the 2010 National Flute Association Convention in Anaheim, CA, Ms. Barwell presented a lecture demonstration on material from her book.