Check Out Lindsey Goodman’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Goodman.

Hi Lindsey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
They say that “the wand chooses the wizard,” and that was definitely the case for me! My father played the flute in school, so, when I began formal training at age ten, he passed his instrument down to me. (Fun fact: that flute has since been officially retired, and now lives on as a fantastic lamp in my home!)

My first formative artistic experience came at fifteen, when I joined my local youth orchestra. (Stravinsky’s “Firebird” will make any teenager fall madly in love with orchestral music!) That experience was followed closely by my professional recital debut on a local concert series at sixteen. In my forties, my journey as a performer came full circle when I performed Cécile Chaminade’s “Concertino”, one of the works from that first recital, as a concerto soloist with multiple ensembles, still using my dad’s sheet music!

During my collegiate years in New York City, Chicago, and Pittsburgh, I was incredibly fortunate to study with my extraordinary mentors, Robert Langevin, principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic, and the late Walfrid Kujala, former principal piccolo of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. While still an undergraduate, I was named solo flutist of a professional new music ensemble, and at twenty-eight, I won my first orchestral position through a nationwide audition. This month marks the beginning of my twentieth season with my beloved West Virginia Symphony Orchestra!

I’ve never stopped dreaming, and have no intent to change that pattern! Ten years ago, I released my debut solo album, “reach through the sky”, and I’ve since released four additional albums of works by living American composers. Along the way, I’ve twice performed month-long runs at the world’s largest performing arts festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, toured China through my record label, PARMA Recordings, and made my Carnegie Hall debut, selling out Weill Recital Hall in New York City. To date, I’ve also given nearly 250 world premieres of new works, including dozens written especially for me by amazing composers!

My childhood self, happily practicing away in her bedroom simply because she loved music, could never have imagined all the incredible opportunities that lay ahead. I remain immensely grateful for this life in music!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been a smooth road? Not always! Over the decades since my first flute lesson, I’ve spent hundreds of thousands of hours with my instrument in my hands. Dedication and hard work have certainly played a role in where I am today, but building a fulfilling career takes so much more than locking yourself away to just master your skillset. When I speak with collegiate music students about shaping their careers, I often share my Three Golden Rules of Entrepreneurship:

1. It’s all about who you know who wants to work with you.

I feel truly lucky that many of my favorite musicians also enjoy working with me! Though every creative professional brings something different to the table, certain qualities are common to most exceptional collaborators in every field: kindness, empathy, responsibility, organization, reliability, and, of course, complete command of your craft. While talent may open the door, the way you work with others is what keeps the door open. I try to embody these qualities in my relationships, too!

2. Everyone you meet is a potential future colleague.

Whether you’re ordering lunch from a server or taking a call with the CEO of a record label, every interaction is a real connection with another person. Showing up as the best version of yourself and with a curiosity towards cultivating meaningful relationships builds good impressions every day! We’re all human, of course, so our best selves look different from day to day, or even hour by hour. That being said, I believe that simply being our most authentic selves often carries the day, forging opportunity and interconnectivity.

3. Become your own best advocate.

Advocacy for yourself and your work doesn’t have to feel smarmy or braggadocious. At its best, it’s your genuine excitement for your work bubbling over! Developing a strong sense of self-worth and embracing what makes your goals unique allows you to communicate with authenticity and confidence, whether you’re pitching a project, forming a collaboration, or performing on stage. Nurturing both inner and outer joy smoothes the road ahead when struggles inevitably come our way!

No creative career unfolds without challenges and moments of doubt, and while we can’t control the world, we are in command of how we show up, how we champion our work, and how we treat others along the road.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a flute soloist, recording artist, chamber collaborator, orchestral performer, educator, and clinician who’s given solo and chamber concerts, masterclasses, and presentations at storied venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Google headquarters, the “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone” podcast, several National and Canadian Flute Association conventions, and across China. I’m one of North America’s leading electroacoustic flute specialists and a passionate advocate for living composers. A member of the Recording Academy and a PARMA Recordings artist, my recordings receive frequent national and international airplay.

I serve as principal flutist of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, professor of flute at Otterbein University and Glenville State University, artist faculty at the Mostly Modern Festival, and solo flutist with the new music ensemble What Is Noise. I’m a founding member of several chamber music groups, including PANdemonium4, the Apollo Duo, and Chrysalis, showcasing my additional training as a classical mezzo-soprano. I earned degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Northwestern University, and Duquesne University, graduating summa cum laude.

I’m thrilled that my fifth solo album, “transporting bright”, currently has three submissions on the first-round ballot for the upcoming GRAMMY® Awards:

Best Classical Instrumental Solo (Album)
Best Contemporary Classical Composition (Track) for Robert McClure’s “prowl”
Best Music Video (Track) for Robert McClure’s “prowl”

This special album features marvelous music written for me by eleven living American composers! Please learn more about “transporting bright” and explore it here:

www.LindseyGoodman.com/transporting-bright

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
As both an electroacoustic performer and a self-proclaimed new music warrior, I’m incredibly fortunate to work at the cutting edge of music. My solo performances are entirely electroacoustic, meaning I’m the only person on stage, surrounded by microphones, pedals, laptops, speakers, and cables, performing works written for me. It’s a little like chamber music and technology walk into bar … and come out as a one-woman band! I play human-composed music alongside my computer, exploring the space where artistic disciplines and musical genres intersect, and this style of performing brings me and (I hope!) my audiences tremendous joy.

Because technology is such an integral part of my artistic practice, I see it becoming increasingly integrated into live performance in the coming years. Popular music has long been plugged in, and there are tremendously exciting opportunities for classical music to expand its own possibilities and connect with new audiences using these tools. As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent, centering on irreplaceable human artistry has also never been more important! It may seem contradictory, but the possibilities that technology offers allow musicians to both embrace innovation and invest in real people whose art feeds our very human souls.

Another shift I’m thrilled by is the growing inclusion of living composers and the expanding range of voices represented within classical music. My self-programmed concerts feature almost exclusively works by living American composers, including many fantastic creators right here in Ohio! Most people know the names Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, but those guys aren’t around to return my DMs, brainstorm new projects over coffee, or speak from lived experience to the world outside our windows in 2026. As much as I adore their music, there’s nothing more extraordinary than collaborating with artists who are creating the soundtrack to the world we’re living in today!

Over the past decade, I’ve seen concert programming increasingly make space for creators from a broader range of backgrounds and identities. This trend helps classical music better reflect both our audiences and our world and provides opportunities for listeners to encounter music that speaks to their own experiences, perspectives, and lives, whether they’re sitting in a concert hall or listening on their favorite streaming platform. I fervently hope that this pattern continues, and I’m thrilled to play an active role in shaping that future through my own commissioning and programming. I can’t wait to hear what comes next!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.LindseyGoodman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LindseyJGoodman
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindseyGoodmanFlutist
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/LindseyGoodman
• Twitter: https://x.com/LindseyJGoodman
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/LindseyGoodmanFans
• Other: https://bit.ly/transportingbright-FYC