Eugenia Zukerman facts for kids

Eugenia Rich Zukerman (born September 25, 1944) is a talented American flutist, a writer, and a journalist. She is known around the world for her amazing flute playing. For over 30 years, Eugenia has performed with big orchestras and at major music festivals all over the globe. Since 1980, she has also been a classical music reporter for CBS News Sunday Morning, where she has shared stories about many artists. She was also the Artistic Director of the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival from 2003 to 2010, helping to plan and lead the musical events.

Early Life and Education

Eugenia Rich was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. When she first went to college at Barnard College, she studied English. But her love for music was strong, so in 1964, she decided to switch to the Juilliard School. This is a very famous music school! There, she studied the flute with a great teacher named Julius Baker. She finished her studies in 1966.

Two years later, in 1968, she married a famous violinist named Pinchas Zukerman. They had two daughters, Arianna Zukerman and Natalia Zukerman, who also grew up to be musicians! Eugenia and Pinchas often performed music together.

A Career in Music and Media

A Gifted Flutist

Eugenia Zukerman's music career really took off in 1969 when she performed at a festival in Italy called the Festival dei Due Mondi. Then, in 1970, she won a big competition called the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. Winning this competition led to her first major concert in New York City at Town Hall in 1971.

Music critics loved her performance! Soon, she was asked to play concerts and recitals all over the world. She performed with many famous groups, like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Minnesota Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra. From 1998 to 2010, she was the Artistic Director of the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. This festival is now home to three amazing orchestras: the Rochester Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic.

A Voice on Television and in Books

In 1980, Eugenia Zukerman joined the team at CBS News Sunday Morning. She became their classical music correspondent, which means she reports on classical music for the show. She still holds this important job today!

Besides her TV work, Eugenia has also written articles for well-known magazines and newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Esquire, and Vogue. She has also written two novels, which are fictional stories: Deceptive Cadence (published in 1981) and Taking the Heat (published in 1991).

Eugenia also edited a collection of essays called In My Mother's Closet (2003). This book features stories from many accomplished women, including Renée Fleming, Carrie Fisher, and Judy Collins, who share their thoughts on the special bond between mothers and daughters. This book was even featured in O, The Oprah Magazine!

She also co-wrote a non-fiction book with her sister, Julie Rich Ingelfinger, M.D. The book, published in 1997, is called Coping with Prednisone (and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines): It May Work Miracles but How Do You Handle the Side Effects. This book shares Eugenia's own experiences with medication she took for a health challenge she faced in 1995–1996.

In November 2019, Eugenia shared that she was facing some health challenges related to her memory.