Praised for her “striking meticulous flute playing” (Take Effect) and “enviable control and supple phrasing” (Sequenza21), flutist Laura Lentz has commissioned, premiered, and recorded a wide range of new works, many written specifically for her. Her recent book, Modal Flute Warmup, (Conway Publications, 2026 revised edition) received recognition as a top pedagogical resource by The National Flute Association in its 2026 Newly Published Music Competition.

Laura’s six solo recordings include originally composed music as well as commissioned music by Missy Mazzoli, Marc Mellits, and JacobTV, among others, with premiere performances featured on Performance Today. Additional broadcasts, interviews, or features include Performance Upstate, New Sounds, Dutch Radio, Modern Notebook, Not Brahms and Liszt, Fresh Ink, The PorterFlute Pod (Podcast of Flutist Amy Porter), Careers in Crescendo (Eastman School of Music), The Flute Suite,The New Edge, Living American Composers: New Music from Bowling Green, and Classical Discoveries.

Laura has presented and performed across the United States and Europe at flute festivals, universities, and various community spaces including the University of Michigan, Mantova Conservatory (Italy), Manoel Theater (Malta), Strasenburgh Planetarium (Rochester, NY), Eastman School of Music, Carleton College, University of Rochester, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Crane School of Music, San Diego State University, Nazareth College, Middle Tennessee State University, Utah Flute Festival, Chicago Flute Festival, Wisconsin Flute Festival, Mid-Atlantic Flute Festival, and The National Flute Association Convention (San Antonio, TX).

As a founding flutist and Artistic Director of the new music ensemble fivebyfive (2015-2025) Laura built a decade of work curious about bringing music into dialogue with visual art, science, and movement, performed across a wide range of community spaces. Accolades include fivebyfive’s 2024 album Eclipse debuting at #2 on the Traditional Classical Billboard Chart, and programming recognized by New Music USA, Chamber Music USA, and New York State Council on the Arts. In 2025, Laura received individual project support from the Netherlands America Foundation and the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts, culminating in her recording Serendipity. All her programming - ensemble and solo - is created with the aim of bringing audiences together to listen deeply and feel moved through music.

Laura begins a new chapter in summer 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she will begin a doctorate in flute performance at the University of Utah. She continues to serves on the New Music Advisory Committee and Career and has recently joined its Career and Artistic Development Committee. She maintains an active teaching studio, and is developing a practice as a composer alongside a current fascination with the lieder of Fanny Hensel.

Obsessed with hummingbirds, Laura also loves botanical gardens, hiking, and being outside in the sun. She is ferociously proud of her son Luca who starts grad work in piano performance in Boston this fall, and when not performing, teaching, with family, or in search of hummingbirds, she enjoys a good read.

Currently reading:
Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor
(June, 2026)