On Friday 17 to Sunday 19 August 2018 the British Flute Society returns to St John’s Smith Square for a second summer flute festival - this time celebrating all things new in the flute world: the instrument, its technique, its music.

The world in the 21st century is a complex place and is changing at an ever-increasing pace. No one is immune from this, least of all musicians. The challenge will always be to respect and celebrate the past whilst at the same time finding new ways to engage with the present and the future. The Internet has changed everything, and it is highly likely that today's young people will have "portfolio" careers throughout their lives.

At Future Flute Fest we will celebrate many different genres and styles of flute playing through fantastic performances by world-renowned players who enjoy varied professional careers. These include evening Gala Concerts from Sophie Cherrier (Ensemble intercontemporain), Stefan Höskuldsson (principal flautist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra), and a concert of baroque music from Katy Bircher. Our distinguished line-up also includes the diverse talents of Tilmann Dehnhard, Wissam Boustany, Ian Clarke, Peter Verhoyen, Stephen Preston, Philippe Barnes, Gareth Lockrane, Amy Yule, Mark Sparks, Carla Rees, Matthias Ziegler, Anne La Berge, Karin de Fleyt, Shanna Gutierrez and Marion Garver.

In addition we will focus on the physical and mental mechanics of being a flute player via our interactive “Pit Stops” and “Body Shops”. We have a session during which Stephen Preston will introduce us to Baroque dance steps: how gesture and dance fundamentally infuse the music of the period. Added to this are the opportunity for all to perform in a flute choir led by Mel Orriss and a wide variety of trade stands.

To book tickets, visit the St John’s Smith Square box office: https://www.sjss.org.uk/whats-on

For more information about the British Flute Society, including how to join, visit:https://www.bfs.org.uk/, and follow us on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/BritishFluteSociety/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/BritishFluteSoc