Featured Artists
-
András Adorján
MUNICH
-
Alena Walentin
COPENHAGEN
-
Eliza Shephard
MELBOURNE
-
Melissa Farrow
SYDNEY
-
Kim Falconer
ADELAIDE
Competitions
Open Competition - 32 years and under
Young Artist Competition - 18 years and under
Piccolo Competition - 32 year and under
Flute Trio and Quartet Competition - all ages
Professional Learning Day
-
Friday 3 October
9.30 - 10.30
BRINGING THE TEACHING WISDOM OF THE PAST TO TODAY’S FLUTE STUDENTS
Fluteworthy - Lamorna Nightingale, Jocelyn Fazzone and Christine Draeger
11.00 – 12.00
STARTING STRONG WITH BEGINNER FLUTE
Karen North
12.00-1.00
THE INNER GAME OF CHANCE
Keyna Wilkins
-
2.00 – 3.00
ADVANCING TONE PRODUCTION – OPTIMISING BALANCE OF AIR FOR PITCH AND DYNAMICS
Joanna Sullivan
3.00 – 4.00
LEARNING FROM WILLIAM BENNETT – Q&A
Alena Walentin
4.30 – 5.30
PROBLEM SOLVING – WHAT TO DO ABOUT…?
Jocelyn Fazzone
5.30 – 6.00
JUNIOR DAY CONCERT
-
Saturday 4 October
Our festival opens with a welcome by Papua New Guinean/ Australian flutist Ralema Fairhead. A dazzling Opening Concert will kick off the festival with a full day of masterclasses, workshops and recitals. The last event of the day will be the final round of the Open Competition.
-
Sunday 5 October
Highlights include an ensemble concert of flutists from all over Australia. There will be a careers panel led by Maj Gregory Peterson and Janet McKay. The evening gala concert will feature András Adorján, Alena Walentin, Melissa Farrow, Kim Falconer and Eliza Shephard.
-
Monday 6 October
The last day of the festival includes András Adorján’s recital with collaborative artist Leigh Harrold. The Closing Concert will feature the Festival Flute Orchestra, winners of the flute trio and quartet competition and several esteemed Australian artists.
Friday 3 October
Join us for a fun-filled day of flute activities. Meet other young flute players, play in a flute ensemble, develop your understanding of how to produce a beautiful tone skills, learn how to maximise every practice session, challenge your rhythm, and finish with a performance for your families and for the teachers of the Professional Learning Day.
Our Junior Day will be held at the Conservatorium High School. Further information on the resgistration page.
Junior Day Directors
The Junior Day will be led by Nathalie Resciniti and Kate Bergen and is designed to inspire and engage flute players of all levels.
Nathalie Resciniti is highly accredited and specializes in teaching young children, and is sought after for her joyous and creative approach. Her students have earned scholarships to prestigious schools like Xavier College, Camberwell Girl’s Grammar, Peninsula Grammar & Wesley College. She currently teaches at Toorak College and her home studio, Melbourne Flute Masters. She performed in the inaugural Fanciful Flutes concert and was a recording artist for Eliza Shephard’s project “March of the Women: Connecting Australia” in 2024.
Kate Bergen is a highly respected and experienced flute teacher, renowned both in Australia and internationally. Currently, Kate serves as the flute teacher at St Michael's Grammar School, Firbank Grammar School, and The King David School, while also maintaining a thriving private studio. Additionally, she is a flute teacher trainer for the Pan Pacific Suzuki Association, further contributing to the development of future educators in the field.
Registering for the AFF Flute Orchestra means committing to the following rehearsals and concert:
Saturday 4 October: 8.30-10.00am
Sunday 5 October: 8.30 -10.00am
Monday 6 October 8.30-8.50am
Closing Concert: Monday 6 October at 3pm
Skill Levels:
Approximate AMEB/ABRSM/Trinity examination grades:
Grade 1-3 (Beginner - Junior Day is better suited to this level)
Grade 4-6 (Intermediate)
Grade 7 - A.Mus (Advanced)
Professional
Flute Orchestra Conductor - Jessica Manning
Jessica Manning is a passionate Music Director, Conductor and Music Educator and currently works in as the Artistic Planning Manager at the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and is a conductor with Adelaide Youth Orchestras. She holds a Masters in Conducting from the Royal Danish Academy of Music and Bachelor of Music performance (Flute/Piccolo) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales. Jessica has worked with many Orchestras and ensembles around the world including Fusion Pops Orchestra, The Australian Flute Festival Flute Orchestra in 2023, the Royal Danish Opera (2019) and on the world Premiere of the Opera Mrs Dalloway for PULSE new music Festival Copenhagen (2020). Jessica is also an accomplished Musical Director and has worked on many musical theatre productions over the years.
Masterclasses
Successful applicants will be notified by Tuesday 16th September, 2025
Once you have been notified, you will have 3 days to pay for the masterclass online, via the Registration Page. Failure to pay for the masterclass within the time frame may result in your masterclass being offered to another applicant.
Masterclass Performer registration fee: $90
-
Flute masterclass
3 -4:30pm, Saturday 4 October
-
Flute Masterclass
9am -10:30am, Monday 6 October
-
Flute Masterclass
10:30 -11:50am, Sunday 5 October
-
Flute masterclass
4:30 -5:50pm, Saturday 4 October
-
Private flute lessons (baroque and classical repertoire)
-
Piccolo lecture and masterclass
10:15am -11:30am, Sunday 5 October
The show must go on
Immersive Escape-Room Style Experience of being a Pit Musician
Oh no, the flutist for our show has suddenly called in sick just an hour before the curtain goes up! We need you and your team to jump in and play - sorry, there's no time for rehearsal and we're not even sure the other flutist has left the music in the right order for you. You will enter a room set up as the woodwind section of an orchestra pit, and will have to work your way through a series of clues and puzzles to find the music you need to perform. Then you and your team have to perform it along with the orchestra (and the cast) to keep the show running!
*Based on real-life scenarios!