Marya Martin is an American flautist with an active career as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Born in New Zealand, Martin studied at the University of Auckland

University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...

, where she had lessons with Richard Giese

Richard Giese

Richard Giese was renoun flautist and principal flautist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra from 1962 to 1986.He taught many flaustists, including Ingrid Culliford and Marya MartinHe was previous married to Myra Giese...

, then principal flute in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....

. After graduating in 1976, Marya was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council grant to study at Yale University

Yale University

Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...

. In 1979, Marya graduated from Yale with a Masters degree in flute performance. She shortly thereafter won the 1979 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. She subsequently went on to win top prizes in the Naumburg Competition, the Munich International Competition, the Jean-Pierre Rampal International Competition, and the Concert Artists Guild—all within a two-year period. To date, Martin is the only flutist to take top prizes in all of these major competitions. In 1980, Martin made her New York concert debut. Following these successes, Martin decided to move to Paris to study with Jean-Pierre Rampal

Jean-Pierre Rampal

Jean-Pierre Louis Rampal was a French flautist. He has been personally "credited with returning to the flute the popularity as a solo classical instrument it had not held since the 18th century."-Early years:...

 at the Nationale Superieur Conservatoire de Paris and then later with Sir James Galway in Lucerne, Switzerland. In 1984, she founded the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival

Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival

The Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival in Bridgehampton, New York, was founded in 1984 by New Zealand-born flutist Marya Martin and her husband, Manhattan businessman Ken Davidson. The festival presents thirteen concerts of chamber music from the end of July to the end of August every summer, and...

 which, under her artistic direction, has done much to foster the development of chamber music presented in historically appropriate settings.

She has since performed throughout the world with some of the world's greatest orchestras including the Seattle Symphony

Seattle Symphony

The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra's season runs from September through July, and serves as the pit orchestra for most productions of the Seattle Opera in addition to its own concerts...

, Saint Louis Symphony, the Brandenberg Ensemble, and the Mostly Mozart Orchestra. She has also made recital appearances at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....

, the Royal Albert Hall

Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....

 and Wigmore Hall

Wigmore Hall

Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...

 in London; the Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...

; Casals Hall in Tokyo; and other venues in Paris, New Zealand, and Australia. Martin has also toured extensively with James Galway

James Galway

- External links : IMGArtists.com 15 September 2008. AllAboutJazz.com 5 August 2008.*...

 playing duo concerts with him. As a chamber musician, Ms. Martin has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chamber Music at the Y, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six week long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known musicians and young performers appear each season in...

, Music at Angel Fire, and Bravo! Colorado. She has recorded for Musical Heritage Society, Orion Master Recording, Arabesque

Arabesque

The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements...

, New World Records

New World Records

New World Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in American music. The label was established in 1975 through a Rockefeller Foundation grant to produce a 100 disc anthology covering 200 years of American music....

, Well-Tempered Productions, Albany Records

Albany Records

Albany Records is an American classical music record label focusing particularly on contemporary classical music. It was established by Peter Kermani in 1987, and is based in Albany, New York.-External links:**...

, and Kiwi Pacific Records. Martin currently serves on the board of Young Concert Artists and is an active jurist in international music competitions. She is also currently on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music

Manhattan School of Music

The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...

, a position she has had since 1996.

Martin is married to Manhattan businessman Ken Davidson.