Barbara Hill – Bio
After graduating from Auckland University Conservatorium of Music, New Zealand-born flautist Barbara Hill continued studies in London at the Guildhall School of Music with Peter Lloyd and William Bennett.
A scholarship enabled her to pursue post-graduate study in Switzerland, after which she moved to Berlin, Germany to study with James Galway who was then solo flute with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
In Berlin Barbara became an established freelance musician, a solo and chamber-music performer, and a teacher of flute and chamber music at the Berlin state music school.
As a recital artist in various duo and trio collaborations, she has performed concerts in Germany, Italy, Poland, UK, New Zealand, South Korea and China, as well as teaching flute master classes in South Korea and China.
At festivals and summer-concert series in Northern Germany she was a regular performer with the Syrinx Trio, the Consortium Artis Wind Quintet, the Hill/Reetz Flute and Harp Duo, and the Baroque and Blue Quintet, among numerous other ensembles and orchestras such as the New Symphony Orchestra Berlin and the Berlin Chamber Orchestra.
From 2011 to 2018, she travelled to China annually on orchestral tours as solo flute.
Several composers have dedicated flute compositions to her, including works for solo flute and alto flute by Argentinian composer José Cibils. The Trio for flute, horn and harp by Gisberth Näther was premiered by Barbara and colleagues in Potsdam in 2008. Her two CDs featuring works for flute and guitar – “The Sea Suite“ and “Carmen and Other Surprises“ – have been widely acclaimed.
As an ensemble coach she trained and nurtured numerous flute ensembles at summer music courses in Germany, as well as establishing the flute choir “Flötissimo“ at the Berlin State Music School. This ensemble enjoyed yearly rehearsal phases at the Landes Musikakademie Hessen, near Frankfurt, and several rehearsal/concert sojourns in Italy.
In the last 5 years, she has regularly attended annual master classes given by Davide Formisano, Denis Bouriakov and Felix Renggli at the Brahms Conservatorium in Hamburg. These have been a source of inspiration, as well as helping to form Barbara’s clear perspectives on sound production and interpretation for flute players. This is reflected in her arrangements for Flute and Alto Flute of works from the classical violin/viola repertoire, as well as opera arias from the Belcanto era.
Flute Performer & Teacher
After a long and inspiring stay in Berlin, Barbara has moved back to New Zealand and is now offering chamber music concerts, flute lessons and ensemble connections.