Katie Bicknell

Katie is an international flautist of “sumptuous tone” (The Straits Times, Singapore) and “striking musical ability” (musicweb). As a freelance flute and piccolo player Katherine has a busy schedule of guest appearances, frequently as principal, with many major orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Aurora Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia and the RTE Concert Orchestra. She has performed in the major UK concert halls and abroad including the Albert Hall, the Festival Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham, the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam and the Lincoln Centre, New York.

She plays frequently in major festivals such as Glyndebourne and the BBC Proms. In a role that gave her much personal satisfaction, Katherine was Principal Flute with the Symphony Orchestra of India for 16 seasons, also designing and leading the first education outreach work with the orchestra. In 2018 she was invited back to perform with the SOI as a soloist in Mozart’s flute and harp concerto. Katherine has recorded with Sony, Hyperion, EMI and the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s own label. She has been invited specifically to record by conductors and composers, for example, by Gabriel Jackson on the acclaimed recording of ‘Not No Faceless Angel’.

Katherine has taught and coached young flauists for many years, her students having won places in the major conservatoires, principal positions with The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, The European Youth Orchestra and having achieved success in competitions, such as BBC Young Musician. She was a member of the teaching staff of the Royal College of Music Junior Department from 2006 to 2013, has been a frequent participant in the education programmes of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and in outreach programmes in the UK and India. Katherine has adjudicated to Masters level and continues to teach high calibre private students. As well as the orchestral repertoire, Katherine plays chamber music whenever her schedule allows. She has a long standing musical relationship with renowned harpist Keziah Thomas