Sharon Bezaly, flute
Described by The Times as “God’s Gift to the flute“, Sharon Bezaly was chosen as “Instrumentalist of the Year” by the prestigious Klassik Echo in Germany in 2002 and “Young Artist of the Year” at the Cannes Classical Awards in 2003. Classics Today hailed her as “a flutist virtually without peer in the world today,” and International Record Review wrote, “Her recordings and concert appearances are typically more than simply triumphs: they are defining artistic events.”        

Having started the flute at the age of 11, Sharon Bezaly gave her debut concert as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta when she was 14. On the advice of Jean-Pierre Rampal she continued her studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris under Alain Marion, Raymond Guiot and Maurice Bourgue, winning the Academy’s first prizes for flute and chamber music. She was subsequently invited by Sándor Végh to play as principal flautist in his Camerata Academica Salzburg, a position she held until his death in 1997.

Sharon Bezaly has concentrated on expanding her solo career and is one of the very rare full-time, international flute soloists. She has performed with orchestras such as the Tokyo and Osaka Philharmonics, Gothenburg Symphony and Stockholm Philharmonic, BBC Wales and Royal Scottish National, Minnesota and São Paulo Symphony Orchestras, SWR and Belgian National Orchestra.

Without neglecting the standard repertoire, Sharon Bezaly is committed to the music of our time and has inspired renowned composers as far-ranging as Sofia Gubaidulina, Kalevi Aho and Sally Beamish to write for her. To date Sharon has seven dedicated concertos that she performs around the world, and she has played Kalevi Aho’s concerto more than a dozen times on four continents.

Sharon has commented: “In recent years my sights have been turning towards a wider horizon and I hope that, by inspiring challenging composers to create new works, it could propel the flute further into the spotlight as well as provide standard repertoire for generations to come.” In January 2007 she will play Gubaidulina’s flute concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. This UK premiere will be presented as part of a unique trilogy by the composer.           

Additional highlights of the 2006-07 season include performances with the Helsinki Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra and Mikko Franck, a tour of Austria and Germany with the Camerata Academica Salzburg, concerts in Japan with Osmo Vänskä and recitals at the Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw and Verbier Festival. As a “New Generation Artist,” Sharon will perform with the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Wales, BBC Scottish as well as the Ulster Symphony Orchestra. She also returns to Wales to perform at the Last Night of the Proms.

Sharon Bezaly has an exclusive contract with the Swedish label BIS and her wide-ranging recordings—20 CDs to date—have won her the highest accolades, including the Diapason d’or Choc du Monde de la Musique, Gramophone Editor’s Choice, CD of the Month (BBC Music Magazine), Stern des Monats (FonoForum), Recommandé (Répertoire) and Recomendado (CD Compact).        

Sharon plays on a 24-carat gold flute, especially built for her by the Muramatsu team, Japan. Her perfect control of circular breathing (taught by Aurèle Nicolet) liberates her from the limitations of the flute as a wind instrument, enabling her to reach new peaks of musical interpretation, presenting an extended spectrum of colors and emotions.