Adam Walker
Ensemble:
Press
'In its premiere [Brett Dean Sidori Dances] with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Thierry Fischer, the extraordinarily beautiful playing of Adam Walker suggested this young man will be a great exponent of the instrument.'
The Guardian, Cardiff / BBC NOW Brett Dean Concerto premiere, April 2011
'Walker, aged 22 and first flute of the London Symphony Orchestra, was so dazzling in his solo performance of a Virtuoso Flamenco Study by one Krzysztof Zgraja that I doubted whether it's possible to play the instrument better.'
The Sunday Times City of London Festival July 2010
'Flautist Adam Walker is a stunning talent. At 22, he plays with the artistry of a performer of maturer years, and this opening recital of the Gwyl Gregynog festival, given with pianist Huw Watkins, showed what an exciting prospect he represents. It was not simply Walker's display of virtuosity - graceful and apparently effortless - that was astonishing, but his ability to characterise the music so vividly.'
The Guardian Gwyl Gregynog Festival June 2010
'The Academy players were alert to Perahia's every nuance, with flautist Adam Walker and oboist Christopher Cowie outstanding.'
The Guardian, ASMF / Birmingham Symphony Hall, November 2009
'After the interval we were treated to more heady sensuality in a restrained yet wonderfully evocative performance of Debussy's Prelude a l'apres midi d'un faune in which Adam Walker's solo flute playing was quite simply superb.'
www.musicomh.com Barbican / LSO and Tortelier, June 2009
'The Poem [Griffes] for flute and piano was exquisitely well played by Adam Walker.'
The Guardian / Andrew Clements, Wigmore Hall, June 2009
Described by Classic FM Magazine as one of the top 5 international flautists, in 2009, at the age of 21 Adam Walker was appointed principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra.
Described by Classic FM as one of the top 5 international flautists, in 2009, at the age of 21, Adam Walker was appointed principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra and received the 'Outstanding Young Artist Award' at the MIDEM Classique Awards in Cannes. In 2010 he won a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship Award and was shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society Outstanding Young Artist Award.
In 2011 Adam gave the world premiere of Brett Dean's Concerto The Siduri Dances with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and took part in the Brett Dean Day at Wigmore Hall. Over the next year he returns to Wigmore Hall, collaborating with James Baillieu and Bernarda Fink and records his first CD with Sonimage. He also returns to appear as guest principal with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
As a soloist Adam has appeared with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra at the Konzerthaus, the Solistes Européens at the Philharmonie in Luxembourg, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields at the Barbican, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the Proms, Hallé Orchestra at Bridgewater Hall, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, and with the Bournemouth Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony and Northern Sinfonia Orchestras.
Concert appearances include LSO St. Lukes (broadcast by BBC Radio 3), City of London, Spitalfields, Presteigne and the Isle of Man Festivals, Varese (Italy) and Festspiele Mecklenburg Vorpommern (Germany). In 2010 he gave the premiere of a new work by Huw Watkins at the Gregynog Festival and toured throughout China with guitarist Morgan Szymanski. He has collaborated with Trevor Pinnock, Sally Pryce, Lucy Wakeford, John Reid and Tom Poster.
Born in 1987, Adam Walker studied at Chethams School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music with Michael Cox graduating with distinction in 2009 and Her Royal Highness Princess Alice Prize for exemplary studentship. In 2004 he was a Concerto Finalist in the BBC Young Musicians Competition and in 2007 was selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT). He has recently been made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.