Lorna McGhee (born 1972) is a
Scottish flutist and teacher, currently serving as Principal Flute of the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.
History
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an Ameri ...
since 2012.
In addition, she is an Artist Lecturer in Flute at
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...
.
Past positions include co-principal flute of the
BBC Symphony Orchestra and associate professor of flute at the
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thr ...
.
She is currently a member of a
flute
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 reedles ...
,
viola
; german: Bratsche
, alt=Viola shown from the front and the side
, image=Bratsche.jpg
, caption=
, background=string
, hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71
, hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow
, range=
, related=
*Violin family ...
, and
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orc ...
ensemble, 'Trio Verlaine' with her husband, violist David Harding and harpist
Heidi Krutzen.
McGhee is known for her "luscious tone colors and dynamics."
Career
Lorna McGhee was born in 1972 and grew up in the Scottish town of
Largs
Largs ( gd, An Leargaidh Ghallda) is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (''An Leargaidh'') in Scottish Gaelic.
A popular seaside resort with a pier, the town mark ...
.
She began playing the flute at 8 years old, and at age 11 began her studies at the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( gd, Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba), formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ( gd, Acadamaidh Rìoghail Ciùil is Dràma na h-Alba) is a conservatoire of dance, drama, music, production, and ...
in Glasgow with David Nicholson, then principal flute of the
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) is an Edinburgh-based UK chamber orchestra. One of Scotland's five National Performing Arts Companies, the SCO performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and S ...
.
She continued her studies in London at the
Royal Academy of Music with
William Bennett
William John Bennett (born July 31, 1943) is an American conservative politician and political commentator who served as secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. He also held the post of director of the Office of ...
and
Michie Bennett. She won the position of co-principal flute in the
BBC Symphony Orchestra immediately following her graduation from RAM.
Following this position, she taught flute for a year at the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, which she later said she was "too young for."
After her marriage to violist David Harding, she moved to an adjunct flute teaching position at the
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thr ...
.
During this time, she pursued a master's degree in liberal studies while she reevaluated the role of music in her life. This journey ultimately led her to believe "it is always a choice about playing, we are under no compulsion to play."
In 2012, she succeeded
Robert Langevin
Robert Langevin is a Canadian flautist. He has been principal flautist of the New York Philharmonic since 2000 and is a former principal flautist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He was associate principal flautist with the Montreal Symphony ...
as principal flute of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Three years later, McGhee succeeded
Jeanne Baxstresser on the flute faculty at Carnegie Mellon University in 2015.
McGhee is active and sought after as an orchestral musician, having performed as guest principal flutist with the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's Hall Orc ...
,
London Philharmonic Orchestra,
Chicago Symphony,
Minnesota Orchestra and the
Academy of St. Martins-in-the-Field.
In addition, she has performed
concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra,
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional r ...
,
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra,
Toronto Philharmonia,
Victoria Symphony The Victoria Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Victoria, British Columbia. It is considered Vancouver Island's best-known active performing arts organization. Currently conducted by Danish conductor Christian Kluxen, the orchestra consists o ...
, and the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra. She counts performing with the 2004 Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra as a career highlight, where she performed
Krzysztof Penderecki's flute concerto under the baton of the composer.
In addition to actively performing, she teaches at several summer flute classes including the Pender Island Flute Retreat and the William Bennett International Summer School.
Lorna is an Artist with Altus Flutes since 2011.
Teaching philosophy
McGhee has made extensive use of the
Alexander Technique, which she credits as helping her free her sound and play without pain.
In turn, she uses these techniques with her students, helping them to become "artists of the breath."
Her teaching philosophy tries "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."
Discography
* ''The Hour of Dreaming;'' Lorna McGhee, flute,
Piers Lane, piano (2014) Beep Records
Track List here
With Trio Verlaine
* ''Fin de Siècle: the music by Debussy and Ravel''
* ''Six Departures''
With Heidi Krutzen
* ''Taheke, 20th century Masterpieces for flute and harp''
* ''Canada, New Works for flute and harp''
Personal life
McGhee is married to violist David Harding, Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at Carnegie Mellon.
The couple met at a summer festival, while he was a part of a string quartet at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universi ...
. The pair performed and taught together in
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, before the move to
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
. Together, the couple form Trio Verlaine with harpist Heidi Krutzen.
References
External links
*http://www.lornamcghee.com
Carnegie Mellon School of MusicPittsburgh Symphony OrchestraPender Island Flute RetreatInterview with Lorna McGhee on KingFM98.1
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGhee, Lorna
Academic staff of the University of British Columbia
British classical flautists
Living people
University of Michigan faculty
Women flautists
1972 births
21st-century women musicians
21st-century flautists