Elizabeth Walker

Elizabeth Walker studied at the Royal College of Music as a Junior Exhibitioner (where she was awarded the Sally Wainwright woodwind prize in 1985) and as a graduate at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying renaissance flute with Nancy Hadden, baroque and eight – keyed classical flute with Stephen Preston and modern flute with Kathryn Lukas. She went on to do a postgraduate study of Early Music at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague, studying with Wilbert Hazelzet and receiving masterclasses from Barthold Kuijken. In 1992, Elizabeth returned to London and continues to perform in a number of period orchestras including the English Baroque Soloists, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and the Classical Opera Company. In 2008, Elizabeth recorded a solo CD of Telemann’s Fantasias on a modern wooden flute, followed in 2011 with a recording of the J.S.Bach Flute Sonatas with her group ‘Continuum’. To promote these recordings, she has appeared live at the British Flute Society Convention and performed in Festivals throughout England. In 2012, Elizabeth formed a partnership with the pianist Richard Shaw, exploring repertoire from the mid nineteenth century composed specifically for her original Louis Lot Boehm-system flute, dated 1859. Together they have recorded a CD of Schubert’s works for flute and piano for the record label ‘Devine Music’ and produced a short film (viewable on YouTube) using Chopin's original Ignace Pleyel piano from 1848, housed at Hatchlands. They have given recitals in Holland at the International Piano Festival in Geelvinck (2015), Toronto (2013/2015) Canadian Flute Convention, Chicago (NFA 2014), Switzerland (2014) and from 2010 - 2014 they have presented a number of recitals and presentations at the British Flute Society convention. Elizabeth and Richard were guests on the live arts programme ‘In Tune’ for BBC Radio 3 and continue to bring this rare flute to audiences throughout the world. Elizabeth is a flute teacher at the specialist music school in Wells and is a regular examiner at graduate and postgraduate level at the music colleges in Great Britain. She is in demand as a baroque flute teacher, following the success of her award winning Baroque Flute Studies (Winner – Best Flute Method NFA 2015) published at WonderfulWinds. Elizabeth lives in London and Somerset with her husband and two children.