BFS London Flute Festival Flutastique!

The British Flute Society warmly invites you to its summer BFS London Flute Festival to be held at St John’s Smith Square, London, from 19-21 August 2016. Festival Artistic Director, Edward Blakeman, has combined his experience as a musical curator and programme commissioner with his extensive specialist knowledge of the flute and the French Flute School, to put together a truly memorable festival of flute playing, celebrating British flute playing and its historic links to France.

The ambition for the Festival is to celebrate the richness and variety of UK flute playing. In a series of gala concerts and recitals across the weekend, eminent British players will feature their favourite pieces of British and French flute music, alongside other works from the repertoire. There will also be talks, a flute choir, a trade showcase and workshops with the artists. This is a great chance to get connected and become immersed in today’s vibrant world of the flute.

Festival Trade Showcase
All the events, recitals and gala concerts will take place in the main hall and will be surrounded by showcase tables full of flutes, music and gadgets - for browsing and buying. Showcase exhibitors will include All Flutes Plus, Altus, Daniel Paul, Eloy Flutes, Just Flutes, Mancke Flutes, Forton Music, Verne Q Powell Flutes Inc, Pearl Music Europe BV, Wonderful Winds, Worldwind Music Ltd; La Côte Flûte Festival, Levit Flute Co, Wm S Haynes Co, Top Wind, Universal Edition and Yamaha Music Europe GmbH UK.

Friday 19 August
The first day of the Festival, is all about listening, learning and doing – and you can do any or all of those! Come and take part, or come and just watch as Katherine Bryan launches the Festival with a session on ‘warming up’ and a short recital, which leads into a celebrity recital with Juliette Bausor; a flute choir rehearsal with the inimitable Atarah Ben-Tovim rounds off the morning.

Geoffrey Gilbert Memorial Workshops
After lunch we move on to an afternoon of workshops, full of hints, tips and experience. Flautists including Clare Southworth, Lisa Beznosiuk, Philippa Davies, Sarah Newbold and Patricia Morris share their expertise in playing and teaching with subjects like Flute Reboot ('rediscover the joy of the flute'), Baroque on the Modern Flute, Contemporary Techniques, Practising, and Love Your Piccolo. Come and be inspired!

There is then a break to explore the showcase tables before the first Gala Concert in the evening, featuring Sam Coles and friends including Karen Jones, Thomas Hancox, Charli Ashton, Anthony Pike (clarinet) and friends from the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Saturday 20 August
William Bennett’s 80th Birthday Gala Event
Saturday is a musical feast of celebrity recitals – with Denis Bouriakov, Lorna McGhee, Rachel Brown, Michael Cox and Stewart McIlwham - plus some of the newest young talents: the prize winners of the 2015 and 2016 BFS School Performer Class B and BFS Young Artist competitions: Natalia Jarząbek, Natalia Karaszewska, Lucija Stilinović and Chloe Ellen Jones.

The day reaches a climax with a very special Gala Concert in the evening. This is an extravaganza with William Bennett and friends including Emily Beynon, Denis Bouriakov, Lorna McGhee, celebrating his 80 glorious years of flute playing. Not to be missed! It's kindly sponsored by Mr Wu Hsieh - Altus Flutes.

Sunday 21 August
Sunday morning features a concert with the Flute Choir and flute ensembles - and a special guest - and then three more celebrity recitals featuring Adam Walker, Emily Beynon and William Bennett. Finally, after the lunch break and a last chance to browse and buy, the final Gala Concert showcases the flute today in British orchestras with some of the brightest young principal players from around the UK including Joshua Batty, Anna Pyne and Claire Wickes.

Throughout the Festival there will of course be many opportunities to