Lorna McGhee, International Flutist
Scottish-born Lorna McGhee was appointed principal flute of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 2012. Known for her “exceptionally rich and vibrant tone” (Washington Post) Lorna has performed as guest principal with Chicago Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and has been fortunate to work with conductors such as Haitink, Gergiev, Rattle, Solti, Harnoncourt, Muti and Honeck.
Before immigrating to North America in 1998, Lorna was co-principal flute of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, England. As a soloist, she has given concerto performances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in the UK and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Philharmonia, and Victoria Symphony in Canada and the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, San Luis Obispo Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the USA.
Career highlights include a performance of Penderecki's flute concerto with the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra under the baton of the composer and performances of the Mozart G major, Nielsen and Ibert Flute Concerti with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
As a chamber musician and recitalist, she has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh International Festival, the Louvre, Paris, the Schubertsaal of Vienna's Konzerthaus, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Her performances have been broadcast on CBC Radio in Canada, BBC Radio, NPR (USA), Netherlands Radio and ABC (Australia).
She has made chamber music recordings for EMI, Decca ASV, Naxos and Meridian. Her recording for Naxos of Bax’ Chamber Music with the group ‘mobius’ was selected as Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine. Along with Duo partner Heidi Krutzen, Lorna has released two CDs on Skylark Music: "Taheke, 20th century Masterpieces for flute and harp" and "Canada, New Works for flute and harp." As a member of Trio Verlaine (with her husband, violist David Harding and harpist, Heidi Krutzen) Lorna has recorded two CDs: “Fin de Siècle,” the music by Debussy and Ravel, and “Six Departures”, featuring works by Bax and Jolivet as well as new commissions by Schafer and Cotton. Both the Trio and Duo are committed to broadening the repertoire and have contributed eight new commissions to date. Lorna’s first flute and piano recital disc, “The Hour of Dreaming” with pianist, Piers Lane was released on the Beep label in 2014. A new CD for Altus flutes is forthcoming.
Having taught at the University of Michigan and the University of British Columbia, Lorna is now an Artist Lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University. She has given master classes at universities, conservatoires, including Julliard School and the Royal Academy of Music, Banff International Centre for the Arts and the New World Symphony. She has performed at flute festivals in the UK, USA, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Canada, and teaches at summer schools, including the Pender Island Flute Retreat, the William Bennett International Summer School, and the Galway Flute Festival. Lorna studied with David Nicholson in Scotland, and with Michie and William Bennett at the Royal Academy of Music, London. She is an honorary “Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.”
“Her range of colors was astonishing, not only golden and silvery, but ranging from cool to edgy to filled with human warmth.” (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
Lorna’s Teaching Philosophy
“One’s work should be a salute to life.” -- Pablo Casals
I try to awaken the student’s own curiosity, enthusiasm, discernment, and artistry. I encourage a love, and reverence for the music, respect for one’s own work and a ‘generosity towards’, not ‘fear of’ the audience. We are best able to learn and integrate new ideas in an environment where stress levels are low, but alertness is high. Technique is merely physical co-ordination and we are at our most coordinated when the body is free from excess tension. Body awareness is a big part of my teaching – releasing unnecessary tension and building our trust & connection with the airstream, which is after all, the basis of all expression. Finding a natural connection to the breath gives us the ability to tap into the narrative quality of any piece of music, allowing us to ‘talk’ through our instrument. We can follow the example of great actors whose performance is enhanced by the range and subtlety with which they can vary their tone of voice. I find that the Alexander Technique is a great resource in this respect. The aim is to find greater and greater ease and mastery, both on a physical and mental level; performing with a peaceful body; being technically organized, finding meaning in the musical literature you are engaged with; having the skills to convey this meaning convincingly and authentically to the audience; finding relevance in your role as a musician within society as a whole. This approach is both an art and a discipline, allowing us to explore, through the flute, the fullest expression of the human voice. – L.M.
You Tube Clips for Lorna McGhee:
Before immigrating to North America in 1998, Lorna was co-principal flute of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, England. As a soloist, she has given concerto performances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in the UK and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Philharmonia, and Victoria Symphony in Canada and the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, San Luis Obispo Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the USA.
Career highlights include a performance of Penderecki's flute concerto with the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra under the baton of the composer and performances of the Mozart G major, Nielsen and Ibert Flute Concerti with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
As a chamber musician and recitalist, she has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh International Festival, the Louvre, Paris, the Schubertsaal of Vienna's Konzerthaus, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Her performances have been broadcast on CBC Radio in Canada, BBC Radio, NPR (USA), Netherlands Radio and ABC (Australia).
She has made chamber music recordings for EMI, Decca ASV, Naxos and Meridian. Her recording for Naxos of Bax’ Chamber Music with the group ‘mobius’ was selected as Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine. Along with Duo partner Heidi Krutzen, Lorna has released two CDs on Skylark Music: "Taheke, 20th century Masterpieces for flute and harp" and "Canada, New Works for flute and harp." As a member of Trio Verlaine (with her husband, violist David Harding and harpist, Heidi Krutzen) Lorna has recorded two CDs: “Fin de Siècle,” the music by Debussy and Ravel, and “Six Departures”, featuring works by Bax and Jolivet as well as new commissions by Schafer and Cotton. Both the Trio and Duo are committed to broadening the repertoire and have contributed eight new commissions to date. Lorna’s first flute and piano recital disc, “The Hour of Dreaming” with pianist, Piers Lane was released on the Beep label in 2014. A new CD for Altus flutes is forthcoming.
Having taught at the University of Michigan and the University of British Columbia, Lorna is now an Artist Lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University. She has given master classes at universities, conservatoires, including Julliard School and the Royal Academy of Music, Banff International Centre for the Arts and the New World Symphony. She has performed at flute festivals in the UK, USA, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Canada, and teaches at summer schools, including the Pender Island Flute Retreat, the William Bennett International Summer School, and the Galway Flute Festival. Lorna studied with David Nicholson in Scotland, and with Michie and William Bennett at the Royal Academy of Music, London. She is an honorary “Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.”
“Her range of colors was astonishing, not only golden and silvery, but ranging from cool to edgy to filled with human warmth.” (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
Lorna’s Teaching Philosophy
“One’s work should be a salute to life.” -- Pablo Casals
I try to awaken the student’s own curiosity, enthusiasm, discernment, and artistry. I encourage a love, and reverence for the music, respect for one’s own work and a ‘generosity towards’, not ‘fear of’ the audience. We are best able to learn and integrate new ideas in an environment where stress levels are low, but alertness is high. Technique is merely physical co-ordination and we are at our most coordinated when the body is free from excess tension. Body awareness is a big part of my teaching – releasing unnecessary tension and building our trust & connection with the airstream, which is after all, the basis of all expression. Finding a natural connection to the breath gives us the ability to tap into the narrative quality of any piece of music, allowing us to ‘talk’ through our instrument. We can follow the example of great actors whose performance is enhanced by the range and subtlety with which they can vary their tone of voice. I find that the Alexander Technique is a great resource in this respect. The aim is to find greater and greater ease and mastery, both on a physical and mental level; performing with a peaceful body; being technically organized, finding meaning in the musical literature you are engaged with; having the skills to convey this meaning convincingly and authentically to the audience; finding relevance in your role as a musician within society as a whole. This approach is both an art and a discipline, allowing us to explore, through the flute, the fullest expression of the human voice. – L.M.
You Tube Clips for Lorna McGhee:
- “Premiere Flautist Recital” for British Flute Society at Royal Academy of Music, Schulhoff Sonata: http://youtu.be/Ay1y9uykGo4 and Shostakovich Romance from The Limpid Stream and Karg-Elert Chaconne: http://youtu.be/MkuiuY8T_34
- London Symphony Orchestra/Gergiev, L’Apres-midi d’un faune: Guest principal flute, http://youtu.be/1xK0F5KkfT4
- London Symphony Orchestra/Gergiev, Rite of Spring: Guest principal flute
http://youtu.be/4am3YRpfiHs
- Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Honeck: Mahler 5 from Berlin Philharmonie
http://youtu.be/Rv6gKituIfY
