Lisa Nelsen
Lisa Nelsen is internationally recognised for her versatility as a flute soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, educator, ensemble coach and mentor in performance practices.
Her passion for the stage is evident in concerts, teaching and adjudicating. Raised on a pig farm in Western Canada, Lisa was exposed to all styles of music – opera, rock, jazz – and thrives on sharing the energy of live performance.
She performs with harpist Eleanor Turner as Aquilae Duo, is a member of The Harborough Collective led by violinist David Le Page, and collaborates with cellist Julian Metzger in The Metzger Ensemble and with pianist Richard Black in trio concerts.
Lisa gives concerts and masterclasses in the UK, Canada, the US and recently in Hong Kong. She has appeared at Aberystwyth MusicFest, Swaledale Festival, Örebro Flute Festival (Sweden), Canterbury Festival, Sounds New, Deal Festival, Leicester Music Festival, Banff Festival of the Arts and Musicamrose (Canada), as well as the British Flute Society Convention and Flutewise Barbican Events in London.
In 2010, she toured Ontario, Canada, giving recitals and masterclasses at Queen’s University and the University of Ottawa, and appeared at the University of Toronto.
She is Professor at the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she teaches flute and coaches wind chamber groups.
As an advocate of new music, Lisa has premiered works with Continuum Ensemble, new london chamber ensemble, Aquilae Duo and The Harborough Collective. She premiered pieces by Kenneth Hesketh (Gabo’s Opus), Errollyn Wallen, Roger Smalley and gave first UK performances of works by Lowell Liebermann, Eric Tanguy and Shulamit Ran.
Other premieres include works by Roderick Watkins, Paul Max Edlin, Malcolm Forsyth, Rob Buckland, Arlene Sierra, Sean Fergusson, José Evangelista, Isabelle Panneton, Claude Vivier, Ole Schmidt, Douglas Finch and Julian Andersson.
From 2000 to 2007, Lisa was Artistic Director of the Harrogate Flute Kitchen Summer School, leading masterclasses and concerts.
She was a founding member of the New London Chamber Ensemble and performed for 10 years with the group. They were among the first wind quintets to stage Berio’s Opus Number Zoo, and recorded Nielsen’s Quintet with a new score. Their 2009 Wigmore Hall concert received critical acclaim. The ensemble collaborated with directors Philip Parr and Danny Scheinmann, the Dante Quartet and pianist Angela Hewitt.
Lisa has coached the National Youth Chamber Ensemble for over a decade and is often invited to adjudicate festivals, including Pro Corda competitions, Marlborough College Music Festival, Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Leigh-on-Sea Festival.
In 2010, she judged the House Shout at Marlborough College – a high-energy choral competition with 14 groups of 76 singers each. She gave a masterclass and explained her decision in front of the full student body. A memorable and electrifying night!
Lisa is a Yamaha Artist and sits on the Council of the British Flute Society.