Bio
Erin Bouriakov is a Grammy Award-winning flutist, renowned for the captivating beauty of her tone and the extraordinary lyricism with which she communicates music’s most intimate emotional landscapes. Internationally celebrated as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, and recording artist, she brings a rare combination of technical mastery, artistic depth, and expressive nuance to the stage.
She has appeared as a soloist with distinguished orchestras such as the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, Euro-Asian Philharmonic, Musica Viva, and many others throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Her performances have been shaped by collaborations with some of the world’s most iconic conductors, including Gustavo Dudamel, Valery Gergiev, Michael Tilson Thomas, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Lorin Maazel, and Paavo Järvi. As an orchestral musician, she has performed with leading ensembles including the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
As a chamber musician and soloist, Mrs. Bouriakov has collaborated with members of the New York Philharmonic and often performs in duo with her husband, internationally acclaimed flutist Denis Bouriakov. Their performances, marked by fluid interplay and shared musical vision, have garnered acclaim across continents.
A former faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Erin Bouriakov is also a highly respected pedagogue who has taught and inspired flutists around the globe. While living in New York, she served as a teaching assistant at the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School. She is regularly invited to give masterclasses and lecture-recitals in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Her singular approach to foundational technique—emphasizing resonance, tone production, and nuanced articulation—has profoundly influenced flutists of all levels. Her method not only strengthens technical command but also cultivates a deeper understanding of musical phrasing and interpretative refinement.
Mrs. Bouriakov has served on the juries of several major international competitions, including the Australian Flute Festival, the National Flute Association (USA), the Tampere Flute Festival (Finland), and the Singapore Flute Festival, where her insight and artistic sensitivity are highly valued.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, she began her formal musical training at the Interlochen Arts Academy in the United States, followed by advanced studies at the Oberlin Conservatory with Michel Debost, the Royal Academy of Music in London with William Bennett, and in Milan with Bruno Cavallo, former principal flutist of La Scala. At the age of 24, she was appointed Principal Flute of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been awarded top prizes at numerous national and international competitions.
Erin has been a Haynes Artist since 2016 and performs on a 14K all-gold Haynes flute. Widely admired for her radiant tone, interpretive depth, and poetic approach to music-making, she continues to inspire audiences and students around the world.
