The death has been communicated of Walfrid Kujala, author of The Flutist’s Progress and teacher of many of America’s top players.
Kujala joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner in 1954 as second flute and became principal piccolo in 1958, playing in the orchestra until 2001. He joined Northwestern University as professor of flute in 1962, teaching for exactly 50 years.
He cited Ernest Wagner, principal piccolo of the New York Philharmonic under John Barbirolli, as a major influence. As a kid in Clarksburg, West Virginia, he listened to their concerts on the radio every Sunday.
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