Sally Beck
Sally Beck - flautist
Sally has appeared with orchestras including BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, WDR Sinfonieorchester, WDR Funkhausorchester, Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, La Orquesta Filharmonica de Santiago and London Contemporary Orchestra.
Alongside orchestral playing Sally focuses on chamber music and enjoys exploring different styles of music, feeling at home playing modern and folk music as well as traditional classical repertoire. She founded the contemporary music ensemble BRuCH in 2013. The ensemble has won 2nd prize at the Karlsruhe Competition for contemporary music, were scholarship holders from the German Musik Competition and have made recordings for WDR, Deutschlandfunk, NDR and SWR. The ensemble has been playing together for more than ten years and regularly commissions new works and produces interdisciplinary projects that explore new connections between music and other art forms.
Sally also works as an examiner of Grade Exams for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. In 2024 Sally can be seen appearing as Mina in the mobile children's opera "Mina oder der Reise zum Meer" produced by Theatre Bonn.
Sally is also a trained yoga teacher. See the "yoga for musicians" section below for more information and yoga resources!
///////
Die Flötistin Sally Beck wurde in Suffolk, England geboren und hat ihr Bachelor of Music in der Royal Academy of Music absolviert. Danach ist sie nach Köln umgezogen, um bei Prof Robert Winn an der Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln zu studieren. In Köln hat sie auch Neue Musik in der Klasse von Prof David Smeyers studiert und hat weitere Studien in den Bereichen Neue Musik und Kammermusik bei Prof Barbara Maurer an der Folkwang Universität der Künste Essen absolviert..
Sally hat Solo Piccolo beim Orquesta Filarmonica de Santiago in Chile gespielt und ist auch mit dem Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, WDR Sinfonieorchester, WDR Funkhausorchester, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, London Contemporary Orchestra und dem London Steve Reich Ensemble aufgetreten.
In 2013 hat Sally das BRuCH Ensemble für Zeitgenössische Musik gegründet. Im selben Jahr haben die Musikerinnen den 2. Preis des Karlsruher Wettbewerb für die Interpretation zeitgenössischer Musik gewonnen und seit 2016 werden sie durch ein Stipendium des Deutschen Musikwettbewerbs gefördert. Sie haben bereits mehrfach Rundfunkaufnahmen für den WDR und den Deutschlandfunk, SWR und NDR eingespielt. Das Ensemble spielt seit mehr als zehn Jahren zusammen und gibt regelmäßig neue Werke in Auftrag und produziert interdisziplinäre Projekte, die neue Verbindungen zwischen Musik und anderen Kunstformen erkunden.
Sally arbeitet auch als Prüferin für die britischen Prüfungsausschuss the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Im Jahr 2024 ist Sally als Mina in der mobilen Kinderoper "Mina oder die Reise zum Meer", einer Produktion des Theaters Bonn, zu sehen.
Projects
Music Player
Teaching
Sally has many years of experience teaching the flute to students of wide-ranging ages and abilities. She has taught privately and in music schools in both England and Germany and also enjoys leading music workshops and student ensembles. Whether teaching complete beginners or more experienced flute players Sally's approach to teaching is very personable, always focused on the individual and tailored to suit each student's learning needs and musical tastes.
Sally has been on the faculty at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln since 2016 where she teaches flute to students studying music pedagogy. She also teaches pupils of all levels privately in Köln. From beginners to advanced students preparing for university entrance exams, all enthusiastic students are welcome! Please do not hesitate to make contact for more information.
Sally has been on the faculty at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln since 2016 where she teaches flute to students studying music pedagogy. She also teaches pupils of all levels privately in Köln. From beginners to advanced students preparing for university entrance exams, all enthusiastic students are welcome! Please do not hesitate to make contact for more information.
Yoga for Musicians
As a professional flautist I know just how important it is for musicians to look after their bodies and minds. To maintain the physical shape needed to be able to perform at the highest level for years, despite the grueling toll playing an instrument can take, is an aspect of musical training that is often neglected until problems or pain occur. Yoga is a great method for learning how to take care of the physical and mental aspects of our health. By using movement and breath together - an alliance already used by many of us daily in our playing – yoga can help regain flexibility, improve posture and alleviate pain, creating an ease of movement and awareness that can help us learn how to use our bodies in the most ergonomic way. Alongside these physical benefits, yoga also helps to improve focus and relieve stress - aspects that are equally as important in maintaining a healthy career.
I first discovered yoga in 2013 whilst I was studying and on the search for better flute playing posture. Since then I have delved deep into the practice of Ashtanga Yoga and found that it has helped many aspects of my career and daily life in ways I never expected. I trained to be a Hatha Yoga teacher in 2019 in Rishikesh in India and continue to learn Ashtanga Yoga with my teacher in Cologne.
My classes and online resource have been designed to share what I have learnt with other musicians, with the understanding of exactly what we put our bodies and minds through in a career in music. I hope they can help you to take care of yourself.
Scroll down for more information and access to my online yoga resource for musicians, with videos featuring yoga poses, stretches and sequences especially made to help musicians.
I first discovered yoga in 2013 whilst I was studying and on the search for better flute playing posture. Since then I have delved deep into the practice of Ashtanga Yoga and found that it has helped many aspects of my career and daily life in ways I never expected. I trained to be a Hatha Yoga teacher in 2019 in Rishikesh in India and continue to learn Ashtanga Yoga with my teacher in Cologne.
My classes and online resource have been designed to share what I have learnt with other musicians, with the understanding of exactly what we put our bodies and minds through in a career in music. I hope they can help you to take care of yourself.
Scroll down for more information and access to my online yoga resource for musicians, with videos featuring yoga poses, stretches and sequences especially made to help musicians.
Yoga Videos and Info
A little introduction!
Read More
Here are a few things that might be helpful before you take part in a yoga class or follow a video.
Read More
This is a great way to open up across the front of the shoulders and across the chest, counteracting exactly the forward movement of the arms and inward rotation of the shoulders which playing many instruments involves.
Read More
This posture opens the shoulders, stretches the upper chest and has a twisting element to it too. I find twists particularly relieving, maybe because, as a flute player, I’ve spent years playing in an asymmetrical posture and twists help neutralise the spine…perfect!
Read More
For some quick relief from shoulder and neck discomfort, this posture is great because it can be done anywhere. Sitting on a chair is absolutely fine for this one!
Read More
Maybe you need to practice but are finding it hard to get going in the morning or you´re in the middle of an afternoon slump and have to rehearse. Try this 5 minute flowing yoga sequence to revitalizing your body and mind.
Read More
Have you ever wondered why we talk about breath so much when doing yoga? Find out more about it in this article.
Read MoreContact
becksally1@gmail.com
Downloads
Sally Beck
Biography