Conservatorium hosts Sydney's first flute festival

"This festival is a unique way for flautists to get together and learn new ideas, new repertoire," said Alexa Still, senior lecturer in woodwind at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and artistic adviser for the inaugural Sydney Flute Festival being held at the Conservatorium this week (14-17 July).

Conservatorium flautist Alexa Still

"Artists benefit from inspiration, so this is an important event to organise in a country where we don't have flute soloists playing live concerts regularly."

As artistic adviser and program organiser, Dr Still has selected a line-up of leading international and Australian flautists to present recitals, masterclasses and workshops and adjudicate competitions at this international festival.

Amongst them are Emily Beynon, Principal Flute of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Netherlands; Felix Renggli from Basel, Switzerland; Geoffrey Collins from the Australia Ensemble; and flautists from the

Guest flautist Felix Renggli from Switzerland

Sydney Symphony.

While most festival participants will be registrants, the festival includes two lunchtime recitals (12-1pm Sat and Sun) and a gala recital (7.30pm, Sunday)that are open to the wider public.

"I'm thrilled to be able to host this at the Conservatorium," Dr Still said. "It's fabulous for the students at the Con to be exposed to an event of this type - a flute intensive of flute playing at a very high level - and it's live!"

She said it was also a way of demonstrating "the excellence that the Con has to offer, as well as it's celebrated facilities".

"The festival is bringing in two fabulous flute players from Europe and ourSydney-based flutists who teach at the C

Guest flautist Emily Beynon from The Netherlands

on are also playing," she said,"so it will be easy to demonstrate that theSydney-based players are also performing at a very high level. It's far too easy to downplay local players."

Full details of program, registration and one-off ticket sales at: http://www.sydneyflutefestival.com.au

Media enquiries: 9351 2261/9351 4312 (Sydney University) or 0438 829 728 (publicist, Flute Festival)