Pictures from previous BFS workshops
Join us for an exciting workshop featuring ensemble playing, questions and discussion about all things flute, and the optional opportunity to perform (solo or with your own group) and receive constructive feedback from our fantastic workshop leader Carla Rees.
It’s open to non-professional players of any standard aged 25 and over. While everyone will take part in the ensemble playing, performing’s not compulsory - you can choose to watch, support and enjoy the performances instead if you’d like.
What to expect
Top teaching chops - Carla is Professor of Low Flutes and Contemporary Flute at the Royal Academy of Music and has taught masterclasses and workshops for players at leading institutions like New York’s Juilliard School and USC in LA.
Exciting ensemble playing - there’ll be a broad and exciting variety of repertoire (suitable for flutes of all sizes!) As a composer and arranger, Carla often supplies her own arrangements which give all parts a chance to shine!
Low flutes - Carla has a passion for low flutes, so there’ll naturally be some on hand to try out!
Bring your burning questions - Carla says, ‘ The content of the day will be adapted to the needs of the participants, so please feel free to bring along any topics you'd like to discuss!’
Welcoming environment - ‘It's going to be a friendly and supportive atmosphere where we can discuss any performance-related issues, including how to deal with nerves and the unexpected moments that sometimes happen in performance’
Competitions 2024 performances & trade stands - as it takes place in conjunction with our Competitions 2024, there will also be a chance to watch performances from talented competitiors, and browse trade stands with an array of flutes, accessories and sheet music - a great chance to find your next flute, upgrade your kit or discover some fab new repertoire!
Performing - FAQs
*** Please note performance slots are now all booked up ***
If you’d like to perform, you can do so on your own, with an accompanist (we can provide you with a BFS accompanist to rehearse and perform with on the day), or if you’re already a member of a duo / trio / quartet / quintet, together as an ensemble.
If you’d like to perform as an ensemble, each member will need to register for the workshop individually; you’ll be able to let us know if you’re performing on your own or as part of a group when you register. Performances shouldn’t be more than 8 minutes in total, and it’s absolutely fine if what you have planned is shorter!
All performers will receive constructive feedback from our Amateur Flautists’ Workshop leader, the fantastic Carla Rees!
About Workshop Leader Carla Rees
Carla Rees (c) Nick Romero
Carla Rees is a flute player, composer and arranger, working to develop the repertoire for her instruments through research, performance and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her international career incorporates chamber music, solo work, improvisation and recording, including a discography of over 30 albums, and alongside her passion for low flutes, she is currently working to create contemporary repertoire for baroque flute.
She has premiered several hundred works, many of which are now published by her company Tetractys Publishing. She is Artistic Director of rarescale, with whom she has performed in the UK and internationally and appeared on BBC Radio 3, and also leads its associated ensembles, rarescale Flute Academy and rarescale Kingma Ensemble. She has a PhD from the Royal College of Music in London and was appointed as the first Professor of Low Flutes and Contemporary Flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London in September 2021. She also teaches the flute at Royal Holloway University of London and is Programme Leader for an innovative online music degree at the Open College of the Arts.
She has taught masterclasses and workshops for flute players and composers at some of the world’s leading institutions, including the Juilliard School in New York and USC in Los Angeles. Performances in 2023 include in England, Northern Ireland, Italy, USA, Costa Rica and Japan. During the pandemic she worked on telematic improvisation systems and gave a number of transatlantic performances streamed on YouTube.
Feedback from previous workshop attendees
Two players who regularly attend workshops led by Carla kindly shared their thoughts with us:
‘I always look forward to sessions run by Carla as they promise to include a broad variety of repertoire, with pieces that many flute players wouldn’t dream exist in a flute ensemble format.
She has such a wealth of experience and knowledge that I constantly kick myself for getting so sucked into the day that I forget to write down more of her advice on how to improve my playing, and insights into the pieces we’ve played!’ - Charlie Kisby
‘Carla is very generous in sharing her knowledge of technique, performance skills and musical interpretation. I have been attending Carla’s flute events since 2017... I always come away with some new insights.
For ensemble playing she supplies her own arrangements which show her knowledge of the capability of each type of flute’ - David Witt
How to sign up
The workshop is £35. All participants must also be a BFS member at the time of entry and on the day of the workshop. Individual membership is from £25 a year - to become a member, sign up via our Join Us page.
Please sign up via the entry form at the bottom of this page.
Our Accompanists
Richard Shaw
Pianist Richard Shaw enjoys giving concerts and broadcasting with a wide range of instrumentalists and singers. His many broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 include duo performances with violinists such as James Ehnes, Viviane Hagner, Leonidas Kavakos and So-Ock Kim, cellists Matthew Barley, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Richard Harwood and Li Wei, Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Martin Fröst (clarinet) and singers Nicole Cabelle, Jennifer Smith, Ailish Tynan, Alice Coote and Ruby Philogene.
He is staff accompanist at the Royal Academy of Music. He is currently writing a biography of the distinguished Russian mezzo soprano, Maria Karinskaya (1882-1942), following his discovery of an unknown 400-page Russian manuscript based on Karinskaya’s lost memoirs. His music album, Malcolm Arnold: Songs and Arias, is published by Novello & Co/Music Sales. Recent CDs for the Deux-Elles label include music by Phillipe Gaubert, with Kathryn Thomas (flute), the chamber works and piano solos of Sir Harrison Birtwistle, ‘Piper’s Dream’ (with Ensemble Lumière) featuring the piano solos and chamber works of Cecilia McDowall, and ‘Fauré and his circle’.
Jo has become widely recognised in the UK as a specialist in woodwind and brass accompaniment and currently holds the position of Head of Accompaniment in Wind and Brass Studies at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, as well as being a Senior Tutor in Accompaniment and Coaching.
Jo accompanies regularly for the British Flute Society, Dublin Brass Week, National Youth Orchestra, and is the official pianist for Bromsgrove International Young Musicians Competition. Jo has had the pleasure of performing with many of the world’s leading players in their field including Phil Cobb, Rex Richardson, Peter Moore, Allen Vizzutti, Ian Bousfield, Zoltan Kiss, David Childs, Nicholas Daniel and Michael Collins.
