Flute Almanac Obituary – July 11, 2025
It is with deep respect and sorrow that the international flute community marks the passing of Raymond Guiot, who died on July 11, 2025, at the age of 94. A revered figure in the world of classical music, Guiot was a flutist, composer, educator, and tireless recording artist whose influence continues to resonate through generations of flutists.
Born in Roubaix, France, on October 5, 1930, Raymond Guiot began his musical journey at the age of seven, entering the Conservatoire de Roubaix at the urging of his father, a devoted classical music enthusiast. His exceptional talent soon led him to the Conservatoire de Paris, where he studied under the legendary Marcel Moyse, a mentorship that would shape his musical approach and career. Moyse’s guidance not only refined Guiot’s technique but instilled in him an enduring work ethic and artistic integrity. Guiot won First Prize at the Conservatoire in 1947.
That same year, he joined the Opéra de Lille as piccolo under the baton of conductors Fernand Oubradous and Georges Prêtre. For three years, Guiot honed his artistry through the rich and varied repertoire of operas, operettas, and lyrical comedies.
From 1950 to 1956, he taught at the École nationale de musique de Calais, even as he prepared – entirely on his own – for the Geneva International Music Competition, where he claimed First Prize in 1954. The post-war challenges in Calais did not deter him; rather, they seemed to deepen his commitment and resilience.
Guiot moved to Paris in 1956, joining the French Republican Guard Band, which opened doors to the city’s flourishing recording industry. He soon became a fixture of the Parisian studio scene, participating in as many as three recording sessions a day. His versatility and expressive playing made him a sought-after collaborator in both classical and popular genres.
In 1962, he was appointed principal flute of the Opéra de Paris, a position he held with distinction for nearly three decades, until his retirement in 1991. In 1977, he joined the faculty of the Conservatoire de Paris as assistant to Alain Marion, mentoring a new generation of French flutists with a blend of rigorous technique and stylistic freedom.
As a composer, Guiot explored the intersection of classical structures and jazz idioms. His original works are admired for their charm, clarity, and rhythmic vitality. They are regularly performed by flutists around the world, and several have been featured on tribute recordings, including Flautissimo vol. 29: Hommage à Raymond Guiot.
Guiot also contributed to numerous albums as a sideman, collaborating with artists such as André Hodeir, Baden Powell, Elek Bacsik, and Claude Ciari, often bridging classical and contemporary genres with effortless fluency.
Throughout his multifaceted career – as performer, teacher, composer, and recording artist – Raymond Guiot remained committed to the expressive potential of the flute.
His lineage as a student of Marcel Moyse, and later as a teacher in his own right, places him within the great continuum of the French flute tradition. He leaves behind not only a rich legacy of recordings and compositions but also a profound influence on the craft and soul of flute playing.
Flute Almanac joins the global community in honoring Raymond Guiot’s extraordinary life. His music and memory will live on in every note shaped by his example.
