Emma Halnan, Flute

Emma Halnan, Flute

Since winning the woodwind category of the BBC Young Musician competition in 2010, flautist Emma Halnan has been in high demand for her solo and collaborative performances in the UK and internationally.

In addition to teaching flute at Wells Cathedral School, Emma also teaches privately, at the University of Cambridge, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, and Kingshott Prep School. She has given masterclasses at the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban, and taught on courses including the international Oxford Flute Summer School and the National School’s Symphony Orchestra.

As a concerto soloist, Emma has performed with orchestras such as the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, London Mozart Players, European Union Chamber Orchestra and Welsh Sinfonia. She has performed live on BBC television and radio, including on Radio 3’s “In Tune” on multiple occasions. In recital, Emma has performed at venues/festivals including St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. John’s Smith Square, Hertfordshire Festival of Music, Lake District Summer Music Festival, St. David’s Hall, and Konzertgut Lucklum (Germany). Emma’s flute/viola/harp trio (the Aurora Trio) released their debut album on EM Records in 2021. Emma is also a member of the Assembly Project and the Tailleferre Ensemble, and has given recitals with ensembles such as the Eblana String Trio and Emma Johnson & Friends.

As an orchestral flautist and piccolo player, Emma has worked with ensembles including the London Mozart Players, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, English Touring Opera and English National Opera. Emma also plays historical flutes, freelancing with ensembles such as the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (including BBC Proms), Gabrieli Consort and the Hanover Band. She was principal flute of the European Union Youth Orchestra 2014-16, and has toured with the European Union Baroque Orchestra.

Emma enjoys commissioning new works; composers who have written for Emma include Sir Karl Jenkins, David Matthews, James Francis Brown, Martin Bussey and Robert Peate.

Emma’s other awards and prizes include the Royal Overseas League Competition (Sussex Prize for Woodwind), the Sir Karl Jenkins/Arts Club Classical Music Award (first prize), “Making Music” Young Artist scheme, Royal Academy of Music Piccolo Prize, Hattori Foundation, Martin Musical Scholarship Fund and the Kenneth Loveland Gift. Emma is also a City Music Foundation artist.

Emma studied at the Royal Academy of Music with William Bennett, Kate Hill, Patricia Morris and Lisa Beznosiuk, and previously with Anna Pope at the Purcell School of Music, where she won the Fenton Leavers’ Award. She later studied privately with Robert Winn.

Emma holds both British and Irish passports.

www.emmahalnan.co.uk