Walfrid Kujala

Walfrid Kujala, professor of flute at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music from 1962 to 2012, died November 10 at age 99. A burial of cremains will be Friday December 19, 2025, at Waco Memorial Park with a Reception to follow in the Waco Memorial Reception Hall.

Born on February 19, 1925, in Warren, Ohio, Kujala began flute lessons at age 13 when his father, a bassoonist, suggested choosing an instrument that didn't require making reeds. By high school he was already playing second flute with the Huntington Symphony and studying with its principal flutist, Parker Taylor.

Kujala went on to study flute with Joseph Mariano at the Eastman School of Music, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1948 and his master's degree in 1950. He immediately joined the Rochester Philharmonic under Erich Leinsdorf and taught at Eastman until he accepted the assistant principal flute position in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner. From 1955 to 1960 he also served as principal flute of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra.

“Wally helped to define the piccolo not only as an orchestral instrument, but as a solo instrument."

- John Thorne, associate professor of flute

At the CSO, Kujala began as assistant principal flute in 1954 and switched to piccolo in 1957. He became principal piccolo in 1958. Kujala appeared as a soloist under Reiner, Sir Georg Solti, Antonio Janigro, and Seiji Ozawa. One of his most memorable solo performances was the 1988 premiere of Gunther Schuller's Flute Concerto, commissioned by Kujala's students as a birthday present. Kujala also performed the work at Northwestern in 1995 in honor of Schuller's birthday. He retired from the CSO in 2001 after 47 years of service.

Kujala was active as a chamber musician, recitalist, and master clinician throughout the country. In 1990, he gave the premiere of a flute concerto by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara at the National Flute Association convention. He also appeared as soloist at the Stratford and Victoria Festivals in Canada.

Kujala wrote the renowned textbook The Flutist’s Progress, which was the impetus for his foray into publishing. He founded Progress Press in 1970 and continued to publish solo and chamber music as well as studies on flute performance.

He served as president of the National Flute Association, which presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He also received the Bienen School of Music's Exemplar in Teaching Award and served as a consulting editor for several music publications, including Flute Talk.

“If one could be described as more than a beloved mentor, more than a lifelong friend, more than a world class artist, we would be approaching words to describe Walfrid Kujala."

- Jennie Oh Brown ’91

In 2012, Kujala retired from the Bienen School of Music after 50 years of service and was named professor emeritus. Kujala’s friends and colleagues gathered at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall for a recital in tribute to his career, which included performances by many of his current and former students as well as the world premiere of a trio for flute, percussion, and piano by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer and Northwestern alumnus Joseph Schwantner ’66 MMus, ’68 DMus.

"Professor Kujala was a central figure in the flute community of the United States and abroad,” said John Thorne, associate professor of flute at the Bienen School of Music. “Wally helped to define the piccolo not only as an orchestral instrument, but as a solo instrument. He was beloved by his many students and colleagues, and his legacy lives on in all those he influenced throughout his long life.”

Former student Jennie Oh Brown ’91, executive director of Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, said, “If one could be described as more than a beloved mentor, more than a lifelong friend, more than a world class artist, we would be approaching words to describe Walfrid Kujala.

“Wally continued to be an active part of my life far beyond the Northwestern University flute studio and throughout my career,” continued Brown. “I frequently spotted him at concerts, ever effusive and smiling, and taught by his side for many summers. For generations of NU flutists and others who knew him, the world is changed by his absence.”

 In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra or the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, in memory of Kujala's lifelong musical legacy.