Principal Flutist, Berliner Philharmoniker
Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson is one of the leading flutists of his generation and serves as Principal Flutist of the Berliner Philharmoniker, having been appointed to the orchestra in 2025. Prior to joining Berlin, he served as Principal Flutist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 2015 to 2025, following seven years as Principal Flutist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York.
An internationally acclaimed soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral artist, Höskuldsson has performed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia under the direction of many of the world’s most distinguished conductors, including Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, James Levine, Valery Gergiev, Seiji Ozawa, Fabio Luisi, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. As a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, he received two Grammy Awards for recordings of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and Thomas Adès’s The Tempest.
His solo appearances have included performances with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, and recital appearances at major international flute festivals. A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, he has performed works by Pierre Boulez, Lowell Liebermann, and many other leading composers.
In 2024, Höskuldsson gave the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s Flute Concerto No. 2 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a work written specifically for him. In 2025, he was named Performer of the Year at the Global Flute Excellence Awards.
An influential teacher, Höskuldsson serves on the faculty of DePaul University in Chicago and has presented master classes at institutions including The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the Royal Academy of Music. He has also been a faculty member of the Pacific Music Festival in Japan since 2010.
Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson has performed on Emanuel flutes since 2009 and has worked closely with Emanuel Arista for more than fifteen years. Their collaboration contributed to the development of the Emanuel Modern Headjoint, introduced in 2022 after years of research and refinement. Today, he remains one of Emanuel Flutes’ most distinguished artists, bringing the instruments to audiences on some of the world’s greatest stages.