Woodwind Sessions

Jacques Zoon studied at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam with Koos Verheul and Harrie Starreveld  and afterwards in Canada at the Bannf Center for the Arts with Geoffrey Gilbert.

He was a member of the Netherlands- and later of the European Community Youth Orchestra under conductors as Abbado and Bernstein. He has been solo flautist of the Amsterdam- and the The Haghue Philharmonic Orchestra, and from 1988 until 1994 of the Royal Concertgebouworchestra, with whom he performed as a soloist in the concertos by Mozart, Jolivet, Martin and Gubaidulina. He also was solo flautist of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe from 1989 until 1997. On various occasions he played as principal flute with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under direction of Claudio Abbado, during tours to Rome and Vienna, to the USA and during the Eastern Festival Salzburg.

In 1997 he was appointed Principal Flute of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. With Seiji Ozawa he was soloist in Mozart's flute concerto in G, with Bernhard Haitink soloist in Bernstein's "Halil"(2001). During the Tanglewood Festival he performed the Mozart flute concerto with Roberto Abbado (2001).

He appears as a soloist with many renowned orchestras , plays recitals and participates in festivals throughout the world. In May 2002 he played the Mozart flute concertos with the Boston Baroque Orchestra on a classical flute, which was his official debut on period instruments, and was also accepted with great praise. Two years later he recorded the both concertos with them for the lable Telarc.

In 1998 Zoon was called "musician of the year" by the Boston Globe.

In 1981, together with pianist Bernd Brackman, he won 2nd prize at the Willem Pijper competion.

In 1987 he was awarded the "Prix special du Jury" at the Jean-Pierre Rampal competion in Paris.

At the Scheveningen Competition 1988, he not only won third Prize, but also the prize for a contemporary composition.

As a soloist and chambermusician he made various recordings for Philips, Decca, DG, Vanguard Classics, Schwann-Koch, Pony Canyon, NM-Classics and Boston Records. In 1997 he was, together with pianist Bernd Brackman, awarded an Edison for a recording of Dutch contemporary  Flute/Piano repertoire. His latest recording, Mozart flute concerto in D with Claudio Abbado and the Mozart orchestra, will shortly appear for Sony records.

His active interest in the flute embraces technical aspects for improving the instrument as well.
From 1988 until 1994  Zoon was teacher at the Rotterdam Conservatory and from 1994 until 1997 at the Indiana University. From 1997 until 2001 he taught at Boston University and new England Conservatory. He then became Professor in Flute at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule in Berlin, Germany, but he moved to Geneva in September 2002  where he now is Professor in Flute at the Conservatorium. Recently he has been appointed professor for Flute and Chamber Music at the Reine Sofia Music School in Madrid.

Since 2004 he is the principal flutist of the Mozart Orchestra and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, both conducted by Claudio Abbado.