In demand flautist Emma Halnan first came to prominence as
the woodwind category winner of BBC Young Musician 2010. In the grand final,
she broadcast Reinecke's flute concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of
Wales live on BBC television and radio. Since then, she has gone on to perform
at many of the major UK venues including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall and St
John’s Smith Square, as well as being broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s "Friday
Night is Music Night" as soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Emma has
also appeared as concerto soloist with orchestras such as the European Union
Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, and the Welsh Sinfonia. She recently
won the Sir Karl Jenkins/Arts Club Classical Music Award 2016, in association with
Classic FM. As a result, she will record and broadcast on Classic FM a piece
specially composed for her by Sir Karl Jenkins.
Emma is currently
principal flute of the European Union Youth Orchestra, and has also recently
performed as guest principal of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. In 2013,
she recorded Bruckner: Symphony no. 2 with Trevor Pinnock and the Royal Academy
of Music Soloists’ Ensemble; this disk has now been released on Linn Records.
She also recently recorded flute trios with William Bennett and Lorna McGhee;
this disk is due to be released later in 2016.
In recital, she has
appeared with pianist Daniel King Smith since 2008. They have performed at
venues such as St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Benslow Music Trust, Bath
International Music Festival and Fairfield Hall. Their future engagements
include a tour of recitals for “Concerts in the West”, and a recital at the
2016 “La Côte” International Flute Festival, Switzerland. Emma also works
regularly with harpist Heather Wrighton and violist Joe Bronstein (the Aurora
Trio); they have appeared at venues including Wigmore Hall, St. James's
Piccadilly and Norfolk & Norwich Festival. They have been awarded a Chamber
Music Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music for 2014-16, and also work
together as Live Music Now artists.
Emma studied at the Royal
Academy of Music with William Bennett and Kate Hill. She previously learnt with
Anna Pope at the Purcell School of Music, where she won the 2010 Fenton
Leavers’ Award, and continues to study privately with Robert Winn. Emma has
been generously supported the Hattori Foundation and the Martin Musical
Scholarship Fund. She also won the 2014 Kenneth Loveland Gift and is a City
Music Foundation Artist.
