Yevgeny Faniuk appointed as assistant principal flute of the Chicago Symphony

Yevgeny Faniuk has been appointed as assistant principal flute of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, effective Nov. 28. Music Director Riccardo Muti announced the appointment of Faniuk, who will perform his first concerts in the role on Dec. 1-6, under guest conductor Thomas Søndergård.

Faniuk succeeds Richard Graef, the CSO’s longtime assistant principal flute from 1968 until his retirement in 2019.

While based on the East Coast, Faniuk has been principal flute with the Princeton (N.J.) Symphony Orchestra, Reading (Pa.) Symphony and Glimmerglass (N.Y.) Festival Orchestra. He also has performed as a guest member with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Since 2016, Faniuk has appeared as a guest musician with the CSO on several subscription concerts, including performances this fall. In a review of the CSO’s Franck, Mozart and Mussorgsky program Oct. 6, the Chicago Classical Review lauded Faniuk, writing, “The concluding Allegro [in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27] was genial and smiling, with eloquent contributions from guest principal flute Yevgeny Faniuk (Princeton Symphony) and principal oboe William Welter.”

Faniuk’s other recent engagements include appearances as guest principal flute with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and on a European festivals tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He has also been a longtime member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.


An award-winning artist, Faniuk was a top prize winner of the Flute Talk magazine and the New York Flute Club competitions, as well as several contests in Israel, including the first Haifa International Flute Competition and the Jerusalem Young Artists Competition.

A native of Ukraine, Faniuk completed music degrees at the Manhattan School of Music and Carnegie Mellon University, studying with Linda Chesis and Jeanie Baxtresser, respectively.