Flutist Janet Maestre has been with the orchestra since the first performance of the Berkeley Promenade, the precursor to the Berkeley Symphony. But her contributions to the orchestra go far beyond those she makes on stage. At one time or another, and often simultaneously, she has served the orchestra as personnel manager, librarian, stage manager and timpani hauler. She joined the board in her third season, when meetings were held in a downtown Berkeley coffee shop.
For the past 13 years, Janet has been the principal organizer of the Berkeley Symphony's popular Wine & Food Tasting. Her husband, Marc, as well as her son, Paul, and daughter, Laura, and her mother have all helped out the orchestra as raffle sellers, stamp lickers, balloon blowers, coffee servers and envelope stuffers.
Janet began studying the flute in the 4th grade and went on to study at the University of Michigan. When she and Marc went on to Yale, where he earned his Ph.D. in biophysics, Janet won a position in the New Haven Symphony. Fortunately for the Berkeley Symphony, the couple eventually moved to Berkeley, where in addition to her extensive work with the BSO, Janet has taught flute at Stanford, UC Berkeley and privately. Her chamber group, the Sterling Trio, has performed for countless hundreds of parties, weddings and other events.
—Richard Reynolds
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