Karin Leitner (born 1972) is an Austrian

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

and composer. She has played flute and piccolo with the orchestras of the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August S ...

and the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...

Life

Early life and education

Born in Vienna, with Styrian ancestry, Leitner studied at the

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university located in Vienna, established in 1817. With a student body of over three thousa ...

with Wolfgang Schulz and at the

Hochschule für Musik Freiburg ' (, plural: ') is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to ''universities'' and ''colleges'' in English. The term ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') is reserved for institutions with the right to ...

with Robert Aitken.

Career

She played solo flute and piccolo with the orchestras of the

, including in a stage orchestra, the

, the

BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...

and the

London Mozart Players London Mozart Players (LMP) are a British chamber orchestra founded in 1949. LMP are the longest-established chamber orchestra in the United Kingdom. Since 1989, the orchestra has been Resident Orchestra at Fairfield Halls, Croydon. History B ...

, the

Irish Chamber Orchestra The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the University of Limerick. János Fürst founded the ICO in 1963. The ICO consisted only of strings as its regular ensemble for many years, adding wi ...

, the London Gala Orchestra, the Thames Chamber Orchestra, and the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. She tours internationally with solo concerts as well as chamber music concerts. Leitner gives

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

workshops in Ireland, Northern Ireland, China, Iran, and South Africa. In 2013, she toured South Africa playing the Suite for solo flute, Op. 57, by

Egon Wellesz Egon Joseph Wellesz CBE (21 October 1885 – 9 November 1974) was an Austrian, later British composer, teacher and musicologist, notable particularly in the field of Byzantine music. Early life and education in Vienna Egon Joseph Wellesz was ...

Virtuosity on flute

Leitner has been described by one reviewer as having "mastery of clarity and consistency" and "a strong clear tone through all three octaves of the instrument ... flute players ... should marvel at her breath control". Others remarked on her "virtuoso exuberance" ("mit virtuoser Ausgelassenheit"), and "beautiful tone and sensitive phrasing" ("schönem Ton und einfuhlsamer Phrasierung"). Her "breath control was exemplary, intonation secure, and finger work as agile as anything the composer could have demanded".

Instruments

Leitner plays a wooden flute. She also composes music for flute, harp and orchestra.

YouTube

As of May 2019, her Youtube channel had more than 25 million views.

Discography

Leitner's recordings include: * 2001 ''The Gardens of Birr Castle Demesne'' (flute & harp) * 2006 ''Castle Music'' (flute & harp) * 2007 ''Soul Alignment'' (Flöte & Synthesizer) * 2007 ''Music of Great Irish Houses'' (flute & harp) * 2009 '' Earthmagic'' (flute, harp and orchestra) composed by Leitner * 2013 ''Sky Magic'' * 2016 ''Firemagic'' * 2019 ''Music of Irish Drawing Rooms'' (flute/whistle & harp/voice)

References

External links

Official website

Karin Leitner
on YouTube *
Castle Music
cduniverse.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Leitner, Karin Austrian classical flautists Living people 1972 births Musicians from Vienna Women flautists University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni