About

Achievement Awards

Every year since 1991 the National Flute Association has honored the best and the brightest of its colleagues with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The debut award went to Jean-Pierre Rampal; since that time, luminaries from Julius Baker to Sir James Galway have joined the ranks, along with recipients of the NFA's intermittent National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated profound, dedicated service and commitment to the National Flute Association.

New for 2027, the NFA will introduce three additional Achievement Awards: the Mark Thomas Founder’s Award, the Educator Award, and the Flute Choir Award. The recipients of these awards will be recognized at the opening ceremonies of the 2027 (Minneapolis) NFA Convention. See below for details.

We are now accepting nominations for the 2027 NFA Achievement Awards! See below the nominations form.

Our Awards:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Presented to a living flutist or flute maker, composer, or author who has shown a profound commitment to music and a dedication to the flute community.

Distinguished Service Award

Presented to an individual who has demonstrated profound, dedicated service and commitment to the National Flute Association.

Mark Thomas Founder’s Award

This award honors a contributor to the field of flute who best exemplifies the NFA mission to nurture and support an inclusive and thriving global flute community. New for 2027!

Educator Award

This award recognizes an exceptional teacher of pre-college aged students for outstanding achievement and dedication to flute education. New for 2027!

Flute Choir Award

This award celebrates the artistic excellence and organizational accomplishments of flute choirs. In addition to musical achievement, it honors ensembles that foster community engagement, promote inclusivity, and build meaningful connections through their musical contributions and service. New for 2027!

Nominations for the 2027 Achievement Awards are now open. NFA members in good standing may submit nominations using the form below. Nominations must be received by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, May 3, 2026.

2026

Steven Finley, Lifetime Achievement Award
Matthias Ziegler, Lifetime Achievement Award
Joanna Bassett, NFA Distinguished Service Award

2025

Zart Dombourian-Eby, Lifetime Achievement Award, NFA Distinguished Service Award
Sheryl Cohen, Lifetime Achievement Award
Lillian Burkart, Lifetime Achievement Award

2024

Trudy Kane, Lifetime Achievement Award
David Straubinger, Lifetime Achievement Award
Leonard Garrison, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2023

Patricia George, Lifetime Achievement Award
Keith Underwood, Lifetime Achievement Award
Jonathan Keeble, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award
Robert Stallman, Posthumous Legacy Award

2022

For its 50th anniversary celebration in 2022, the NFA granted Golden Anniversary Awards in lieu of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award.

2020

These awardees were honored at the 2022 convention.

Karl "Fritz" Kraber, Lifetime Achievement Award
Ransom Wilson, Lifetime Achievement Award
Nancy Clew, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2019

Emerson DeFord, Lifetime Achievement Award
Susan Milan, Lifetime Achievement Award

2018

András Adorján, Lifetime Achievement Award
Eva Kingma, Lifetime Achievement Award
George Pope, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2017

Ervin Monroe, Lifetime Achievement Award
Laurie Sokoloff, Lifetime Achievement Award
Linda Mintener, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2016

Katherine Hoover, Lifetime Achievement Award
James Pellerite, Lifetime Achievement Award

2015

Alexander Murray, Lifetime Achievement Award
Harvey Sollberger, Lifetime Achievement Award
Penelope Fischer, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2014

Robert Dick, Lifetime Achievement Award
Maxence Larrieu, Lifetime Achievement Award
Patti Adams, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2013

Barthold Kuijken, Lifetime Achievement Award
Aurèle Nicolet, Lifetime Achievement Award
Angeleita Floyd, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2012

Betty Bang Mather, Lifetime Achievement Award
Bonita Boyd, Lifetime Achievement Award
Nancy Toff, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2011

Carol Wincenc, Lifetime Achievement Award
Trevor Wye, Lifetime Achievement Award
Katherine Borst Jones, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2010

Leone Buyse, Lifetime Achievement Award
Fenwick Smith, Lifetime Achievement Award
Gwen Powell, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2009

Sir James Galway, Lifetime Achievement Award

2008

Bickford Brannen, Lifetime Achievement Award
Jim Walker, Lifetime Achievement Award
Gerald Carey, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2007

Peter Lloyd, Lifetime Achievement Award
John Wion, Lifetime Achievement Award

2006

Jeanne Baxtresser, Lifetime Achievement Award
Stephen Preston, Lifetime Achievement Award

2005

Peter-Lukas Graf, Lifetime Achievement Award
Sheridon Stokes, Lifetime Achievement Award
Mark Thomas, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2004

Friedrich von Huene, Lifetime Achievement Award
Paula Robison, Lifetime Achievement Award
Philip Swanson, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

2003

Robert Aitken, Lifetime Achievement Award
Hubert Laws, Lifetime Achievement Award

2002

William Bennett, Lifetime Achievement Award
Louis Moyse, Lifetime Achievement Award

2001

Michel Debost, Lifetime Achievement Award
Joseph Mariano, Lifetime Achievement Award

2000

William Hebert, Lifetime Achievement Award
Jack Wellbaum, Lifetime Achievement Award
Ross Prestia, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

1999

Jacob Berg, Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert Cole, Lifetime Achievement Award

1998

Albert Cooper, Lifetime Achievement Award
Charles DeLaney, Lifetime Achievement Award
John Solum, National Flute Association Distinguished Service Award

1997

Walfrid Kujala, Lifetime Achievement Award
Donald Peck, Lifetime Achievement Award

1996

Samuel Baron, Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert Willoughby, Lifetime Achievement Award

1995

Julius Baker, Lifetime Achievement Award
John Krell, Lifetime Achievement Award
Albert Tipton, Lifetime Achievement Award

1994

Frances Blaisdell, Lifetime Achievement Award
Bernard Goldberg, Lifetime Achievement Award

1993

Doriot Anthony Dwyer, Lifetime Achievement Award
Lois Schaefer, Lifetime Achievement Award

1991

Jean-Pierre Rampal, Lifetime Achievement Award

1976

Emil Medicus, Honorary Lifetime Member