Flute Flight - Karen Batten, Rachel Thomson and Jen Vaughan

Join us for our weekly lunchtime concert series and feel free to bring a bag lunch. This week, we take a trip through the Flute Family: from the cheeky, bright piccolo, through the sonorous C flute to the rich, deep alto flute.

Music from North and South America: Gary Schocker and Astor Piazzolla and England: John Rutter.

Biographies:

A Wellingtonian, Karen Batten has developed a varied freelance career, after returning from New York with a Masters Degree. She is Principal Flute for Orchestra Wellington and has worked with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Karen has taught extensively throughout the Wellington Region, both at secondary and tertiary level. Chamber music is a passion for Karen. She has been part of several groups, some of which have toured for Chamber Music New Zealand, including Toru, flute, viola and harp. Most recently her flute clarinet and bassoon group, Te Hau Trio, performed in Classical on Cuba.

Rachel Thomson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, and grew up in Wellington where she began her piano studies with her mother. She went on to study with Judith Clark, graduating from Victoria University of Wellington before continuing her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music in the United States, where she gained a doctorate in piano performance. Rachel regularly performs with some of the country’s leading musicians. She has toured on numerous occasions for Chamber Music New Zealand and is a member of various chamber ensembles including the Koru Trio. She has worked as an orchestral pianist with the NZSO, Orchestra Wellington, and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Rachel is also active as a teacher, adjudicator and accompanist.

After graduating from the New Zealand School of Music in 2008, Jen Vaughan completed her Masters study in flute at the Australian National University under the tutelage of Virginia Taylor and Vernon Hill. Over the years, she has performed with a number of orchestras and ensembles around New Zealand. Jen has held the position of Sub-Principal Flute with Orchestra Wellington since 2008.