Famous for wide range of colors and for his unique sound, Mathieu Dufour is one of the most world’s admired and coveted flutists of his generation.

Paris-born Dufour has began playing the flute at the age of eight. He studied with Madeleine Chassang, then with Maxence Larrieu at the Lyon Conservatory, where he was unanimously awarded the first prize.                                              

While a teenager, he won second prize at the Jean-Pierre Rampal International Flute Competition in 1990 and third prize at the International Flute Competition in Budapest in 1991.In 1997, he won second prize at the International Flute Competition in Kobe, Japan.

At age 20, he became principal flutist of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, and three years later, he held the same position at the Paris National Opera.

In 1999, he was appointed as principal flute of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and was principal flute of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 2015 to 2022.

As a soloist, Dufour performed at Carnegie Hall and Lucerne Festival under the baton of Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Other conductors he collaborated as a soloist include Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Muti, Charles Dutoit, Fabio Luisi, David Roberston, etc.…

His acclaims were praised by many critics around the world. Chicago Sun-Times writes, “Mathieu Dufour is one of the most impressive musicians of his generation. His golden sound and flawless technique have left audiences and fellow musicians in awe.”

Of Dufour’s performance of Carl Nielsen’s Flute Concerto with the Chicago Symphony, the Chicago Tribune reported, “Throughout the concerto he confirmed his uncanny mastery of color and dynamics, filling the hall with a vibrant, crystalline sound.”

Following a performance as soloist at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, one critic wrote, “the ornate solo lines unfurled like yard upon yard of fine embroidered silk.”

As a recitalist, he has dazzled audiences in the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel, and South America. His international tours include yearly performances in recitals in Japan where he has performed in major halls in Tokyo, and as a soloist with the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra and the Hiroshima Symphony.

As a fervent chamber musician, he has collaborated with Mitsuko Uchida, Pinchas Zukerman, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, Julia Fischer, Eric LeSage, and members of the Berlin Philharmonic. His appeared in chamber music concerts at the Carnegie’s Zankel Hall in New York, at the Lucerne and Davos Festivals in Switzerland, and at the Domaine Forget Festival in Canada among many others.

Highly in demand as a teacher and passionate about teaching the younger generation of musicians, Mathieu Dufour frequently gives master classes in US, Canada, Europe, South America and in Asia. He also served as a faculty member of DePaul University and Rosevelt University in Chicago, Barenboim Akademie in Berlin and the Berlin Philharmonie Akademie.

His discography includes a solo recital of sonatas by Prokofiev, Martinů, and Hindemith on Harmonia Mundi; Poulenc’s complete chamber music on RCA/BMG; and Roussel’s complete works for flute on Saphir Records; wind concertos with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, and a collection “Fantasies” pieces on the Cedille Records.The concerto for flute and orchestra by Guillaume Connesson was written for Mathieu Dufour which was premiered by conducted by Charles Dutoit with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and then performed with Paris National Orchestra under the baton of Christophe Eschenbach. The work is recorded for Deutsche Grammophon.

Mathieu Dufour is a honorary as “Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” which was attributed in 2011 by the French Minister of Culture.