Flautist and Indiana University Professor Kathryn Lukas has Died

A specialist in contemporary music, Lukas was a professor at IU Jacobs from 1990 - 2024

Flautist and contemporary-music specialist Kathryn Lukas, who until her retirement in 2024 was a professor at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, has passed away.

A graduate of King's College London, where she received a master's degree, Lukas spent the early part of her career teaching at major London conservatoires, including the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (where she was later made a Fellow) and the Royal Academy of Music.

She held positions in several major orchestras in the United States, including working as principal flute with the Santa Fe Opera Company and as guest principal flute with the Chicago Symphony. Lukas also played in British ensembles such as the London Symphony Orchestra and English Chamber Orchestra.

A specialist in contemporary music, Lukas worked alongside some of the most prominent figures of the later twentieth century, including Luciano Berio, Iannis Xenakis, and Elvis Costello.

Lukas occasionally played non-classical styles of music and appeared on multiple recordings with the English punk band Wire.

"We're honoring the life and legacy of former faculty member Kathryn Lukas, who passed away on June 15, 2025," wrote IU Jacobs in a statement. "A celebrated presence at Jacobs from 1990 to 2024, she inspired generations of musicians with her artistry, mentorship, and dedication to contemporary music."

"Professor Lukas’s influence lives on through the students she mentored and the music she championed. May her memory be a blessing."