Paula Robison is an American flutist who has appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic and co-founded the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She plays on a Brannen-Cooper flute.
Paula Robison was born in Tennessee and raised in California. Her father, David Robison, wrote for films and television. Her mother Naomi, was an actress and story teller. Paula's sister Deborah lives in Berkeley, California, and her brother Joshua in San Francisco. Robison began playing flute early on, and by 19 she was studying at the Juilliard School, debuting with the New York Philharmonic the next year. In an early performance under Leonard Bernstein, of Carnival of the Animals (Saint Saens) Bernstein remarked that Paula was the first flutist he heard play the famous solo in this work flawlessly the first time. She notably won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in 1961.
Robison has performed on Live from Lincoln Center and Christmas at Kennedy Center.
Since 1991, Robison has taught at the New England Conservatory of Music.
When Jean-Pierre Rampal called in sick for his March 1999 appearance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in Mozart's K. 313 Flute Concerto, Robison substituted at the last minute.
Paula Robison was the guest artist in 2002 with The Children's Orchestra Society at Alice Tully Hall of Lincoln Center