Denis Bouriakov
Although still in his twenties, Denis has already developed one of the fastest growing careers amongst the musicians of his generation. He has won numerous prizes at many of the world’s most prestigious international flute competitions (including Jean-Pierre Rampal, Munich ARD, Prague Spring, Carl Nielsen and Kobe competitions) and he has recently been appointed Principal Flute at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He has already made several recordings, and his first solo CD album was released in 2009, which included the world’s premiere recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto on the flute. He has been very active as soloist, orchestral player and teacher and, last year alone, his engagements took him to Greece, Iceland, USA, Japan, Korea, UK and Lithuania.
Denis was born in 1981 in Crimea (now Ukraine). In 1991, he was given a place at the Moscow Central Special Music School, where he studied with Professor Y.N. Dolzhikov. Since the age of 11, Denis has played in Russia's premier concert halls, such as the Big Conservatoire Hall and Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. With the support of the “New Names” International Charity Foundation and the Vladimir Spivakov Foundation, he played as a soloist in concert tours to over 20 countries in Europe, Asia, South America and USA. After graduating from the Moscow Central Special Music School in 2000 he went on to study at Royal Academy of Music with Professor William Bennett (OBE) in London. After his graduation in 2004, gaining a record 99% mark and the DipRAM diploma for an outstanding Final Recital, the Royal Academy of Music awarded Denis the “Principal’s Award” as well as the “Fellowship Award” for the 2004-2005 academic year, which involved him giving lessons and classes for flute students at the Royal Academy. In 2006, the Academy awarded Denis with the prestigious title of ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music). During his time in London, Denis freelanced as Principal Flute with the Philharmonia of London, London Philharmonic Orhestra, Leeds Opera North, Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Russian Orchestra of London. Show Full Profile
Margaret Crawford
Adelaide-born Margaret Crawford played piano and composed from the age of nine. At fifteen she began flute lessons with David Cubbin at the Elder Conservatorium and then moved to Melbourne in 1960 to undertake a tertiary degree at the Melbourne University Conservatorium, studying flute under Leslie Barklamb and piano under Ronald Farren-Price. In 1963 she gained her BMus and two years later a Master of Music majoring in flute performance.
In 1966 she won the ABC Concerto Competition (now Young Performer of the Year), which led to solo performances with all of the State Symphony Orchestras and numerous broadcasts. A major focus for her at this time was the performance of contemporary music. In 1967 she travelled to Vienna where she specialized in baroque music, studying recorder under Professor Hans-Maria Kneihs and flute under Hans Reznicek at the Vienna Academy of Music, graduating with honours in 1969. She also studied flute in Paris under Jean-Pierre Rampal and Alain Marion and attended masterclasses given by Rampal, Gazzeloni, Gerard Schaub and Marcel Moyse. Show Full Profile
