A Journey of the Heart

A flutist of many genres, Geri Rizzo studied at the New England Conservatory on a full scholarship and with several famous flutists who proclaimed her a "natural". After a career respite while raising her family and working in the corporate world, she returned to the flute world in 1992 and hasn't stopped. 

Since then Geri has had a successful and varied career which has taken her from orchestra pit to cool jazz to rock and roll.  In 1993 she was the only flutist chosen nationally to participate in Yale University's summer music program, the Norfolk Chamber Ensemble. 

She has performed with the Atlantic County Pops, a symphonic band, for fifteen years, as well as the Bay Atlantic Symphony and Ocean City Pops.  performed in various jazz ensembles throught Atlantic County such as Jersey Shore Jazz Vespers, the Atlantic City casinos as soloist and in jazz groups and private events.  In 2003 she formed Magic Flute Wedding Musicians, now Ambiance Chamber Ensembles and performed tristate for private events and weddings.  She is founder and director of Flutes for Peace and teaches at Stockton University as well as in her own studio.  More below:

Relocating from the NY suburbs to Atlantic City in 2001 saw her strolling and performing with top talent in the hotels and casinos after capturing the attention of a Philadelphia talent agent.

When the music scene in the casinos waned due to dj music, Geri reinvented herself and in 2003 started her own wedding music business, Magic Flute Weddings, building her own website and navigating all business aspects involved.  Since the covid epidemic, she now continues private events under "Ambiance Chamber Ensembles".

In addition, she has performed in the Atlantic Pops Symphonic Band (15 years) and the Stockton Chamber Orchestra (8 years) as well as subbing with the Ocean City Pops and loves being a church musician and private flute instructor, presently at Stockton University and in her home studio. Dust your flute off and let's get you playing again, one of Geri's specialities!

She has also performed in the Tri-State Symphony (NY) and Fine Arts Symphony (NY); the Hudson Valley Wind Ensemble (NY) and was the official "flute lady" at the 25th reunion os Woodstock's Summer of Love concert in 1994 where she performed on the big stage in an acoustic 60's cover duo between the big name band set ups, an amazing memory with artists such as Richie Havens, Melanie, Joe Walsh and members of Canned Heat. 

Geri has always had a special place in her heart for shutins and the elderly and has  performed in nursing homes and extended care facilities all her performing life. She also has a beautiful soprano voice and loves sing alongs!

In February 2018 she performed at Carnegie Hall with the Atlantic Pops and at the Kimmel Center in February 2025.  On the jazz front, she has performed and been active in the Jazz Vesper's Program in Atlantic City.

As a teacher, Geri's students have become successful teachers and performers.  She is a member of the  Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia, The NY Flute Club and the National Flute Association and teaches at Stockton University, Pomona, NJ.   Stockton is the home and chief performing residence of the Bay Atlantic Symphony as well as a mecca for many fine performing artists and offers an intensive and prolific music department!  In addition, it is most affordable.

Because she has always dreamed of a world devoid of hate and war,  in 2016 she founded the flute ensemble "Flutes for Peace."  It seemed a natural evolution to make the move toward forming an ensemble of the world's most soothing instrument, a natural progression. In March of 2021 she was able to get Sir James Galway onboard to perform online for a Flutes for Peace Concert for the Ukraine held in Atlantic City, and hopes to continue to take forward as an international movement.

More information here:  www.FlutesForPeace.org 

Also a trained singer, Geri has performed in church choirs since she was a child.  She has performed in musical theater (Gilbert and Sullivan) as the lead in Iolanthe and in the Mikado at the Bardavon Theatre in Poughkeepsie, NY.   In Southern New Jersey, she has performed with The Meistersingers, The Cape Shore Chorale, and various church choirs as well as performing with various jazz ensembles. She currently sings in the professional church choir of St. Peter's Methodist Church in Ocean City, NJ, under the direction of the wonderful organist, choir director and musician, John Bates.

In addition to singing and fluting, Geri is a former model and actress who worked for Weist Barron Ryan Acting Workshops for ten years and can be seen in episodes of Law and Order SVU, Sex and the City, local voice overs and in various indie projects and commercials.   Geri also loves to sketch, paint, read and is a published writer. She has 2 cds to her credit: "Just Flutin'", solo flute with standard jazz lovesongs and originals and "Heartsong", a compilation of her favorite jazz tunes with fine local jazz musicians.

Formal Background

Geri Rizzo studied applied flute  at the New England Conservatory of Music Boston Massachusetts on a full scholarship where she studied with James Pappoutsakis of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She also studied with Francis Blaisdell, principal flutist with the New York Metropolitan Opera orchestra at the Manhattan School of Music in NY and is well versed in the classical pedagogy.  She began her journey as a flutist at age ten and at fifteen was studying with world class flutist and conductor Claude Monteux who proclaimed her a "natural"  At 17 she toured with the NY State Symphony.  Other fine flutists of the Golden Age with whom she studied include Jim Walker and Julius Baker.  Gary Schocker was an amazing mentor when jumpstarting her playing after a 15 year respite. 

Having worked in the corporate world while raising her two children, Geri put the flute aside for fifteen years and resumed playing once again at the young age of 40.  Her article, "Starting Over" published in Flute Talk Magazine addressed the issues and frustrations of beginning anew and gives inspiration and hope to others experiencing the same path. YOU CAN REINVENT YOURSELF!

"It's never to late to start over -- Life is too short to have regrets!

See the article below!