Libby Bennett
Elizabeth Bennett, Principal Piccolo, studied at the Royal College of Music, London, joined the Ulster Orchestra in 1981.
When did you start learning an instrument?
I started playing the flute when I was 15 years old but in fact I played piano and clarinet before that.
Who were your most important musical influences?
My most important musical influences were my teachers. Pat Lynden, who at the time was one of only a few female musicians in London, &, at the Royal College of Music ,Eddie Walker and Sebastian Bell.
What would you be if not a musician?
If I was not a musician I would probably be a bee keeper. It is one of the most fascinating hobbies and the honey is delicious!
Most memorable moment with the orchestra so far?
The Orchestra’s performance of Stravinsky’s Firebird in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
What’s the most difficult aspect of switching between flute and piccolo?
The adjustment to the embochure as the mouthpiece on the piccolo is much smaller than the flute.
Most inspiring composer?
Like a lot of musicians, I would have to say that it has to be Mozart.
How many instruments do you have?
I have 2 different types of concert flutes, an old wooden flute which is my favourite instrument, 2 piccolos and I also enjoy playing the alto flute in the orchestra which has a fantastic sound. I also play have a bass flute & a set of panpipes.
What’s in your cd player right now?
In my CD player right now is a Schubert String Quintet.
Can you tell is a little about the education work you do?
I spend a lot of time visiting schools, not just in Northern Ireland, but also in England with Audrey Douglas. Audrey and I formed the Phoenix Flute and Harp duo in 1980 and since that time we have performed in hundreds of schools. We have devised workshops that focus on art through music by using’ sound pictures’. I have also written several musical stories which are a great way of introducing music to young children I am also one half of a Pied Piper performance with bass player Gareth Hopkins.