Leone Buyse

Welcome to my website. The information included here reflects my professional life as a performer and teacher. Highlighted also are the activities and accomplishments of my former students at Rice University, The University of Michigan, New England Conservatory, Boston University, and the Eastman School of Music.

Thank you for visiting…. Enjoy the site!

As you may already know, the 2022-23 academic year was my last year of teaching at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. This marked the culmination of working full-time for 52 years, 26 of those years at Rice. My eagerly anticipated new life chapter is including writing, coaching and teaching privately, traveling, attending more performances by the superb Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, and Houston Ballet, enjoying events at the Shepherd School, and spending more time with friends and family. It gives me immense pleasure to know that Marianne Gedigian has succeeded me as Professor of Flute…The 2023-24 Flute Studio and those beyond could not possibly be in better hands!

News!

  • Kayla Burggraf BM'14

    Associate Principal Flute, Toronto Symphony Orchestra

    (February 2024 - )

  • Dominique Kim MM ‘23

    Principal Flute, Grand Rapids Symphony

    (January 2024 - )

  • Yi Xiang MM ’16

    Co-Principal Flute, China National Centre for the Performing Arts NPCA Orchestra, Beijing

    (January 2024 - )

  • Tyler Martin MM '22

    Tenured Second Flute, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra

    Affiliate Professor of Flute, University of Houston Moores School of Music

    (2023 - )

  • Doug DeVries MM '16

    Solo Piccolo/Utility Flute,

    Hawaii Symphony (2023- )

    Acting Principal, San Antonio Philharmonic (2023- )

  • Hunter O’Brien MM ‘22

    Winner, MTNA Young Artist Competition and Byron Hester Competition (March -April 2023)

    Haynes Young Artist (August 2023)

  • Bridget Pei MM ‘23

    Second Flute, Seattle Symphony

    (February 2023 - )

  • Susan Kang MM ‘20, AD ‘22

    Principal Flute, San Francisco Ballet

    (October 2022 - )

  • Allison DeFrancesco MM ‘22

    Second Flute/Piccolo, Sarasota Opera Orchestra

    (2023 - )

“La musique y commence là où la parole est impuissante à exprimer; la musique est faite pour l’inexprimable.”

“Music begins where speech fails. Music is intended to convey the inexpressible”.

— Claude Debussy