ABOUT AMELIE
Amélie Donovan is an accomplished and versatile flautist, known for her expressive musicianship and wide-ranging stylistic interests encompassing orchestral music, folk, jazz, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Her strong background in ballet and dance, including lead roles with Woodbury Dance Company, enriches her musical sensitivity and dynamic stage presence. Having recently graduated with a First-Class Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Amélie is now pursuing a master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music, further honing her artistry and expertise. Amélie combines a passion for performing at the highest level with a deep commitment to widening access and participation in music.
Her orchestral experience is extensive, including principal and sub-principal roles with ensembles such as Dartington Sinfonietta, Divertimento Ensemble, Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Wales, London Shostakovich Orchestra, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Amadeus Orchestra, and Ignite Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist and chamber musician, Amélie performs in diverse settings including weddings, festivals, schools, and residential care homes. As a freelance performer and recording artist, Amélie enjoys working with contemporary composers to create, perform, and record new music.
Amélie’s achievements have been recognized with awards such as the Mansel Thomas Memorial Award for Music (2025), the National Youth Orchestra of Wales Will Jones Prize for most promising wind player (2024), and first place in the Koechlin International Flute Competition (2021). She also holds a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music with distinction.
Beyond classical performance, Amélie is part of a folk-jazz fusion duo with jazz pianist Nils Kavanagh, who perform their own compositions and arrangements of traditional and contemporary folk tunes. Amélie has experience delivering workshops, small group classes, and one-to-one lessons exploring folk techniques and approaches with instrumentalists of various musical backgrounds and abilities. From 2022 to 2025, she held the position of President of the RWCMD Folk Society. Amélie has also supported emerging classical musicians as a tutor and mentor in a variety of contexts. This has included instrumental tuition, pastoral care, and guidance on professionalism in orchestral settings.
As a dedicated advocate for universal access to the arts, Amélie has worked with organisations such as Live Music Now to facilitate accessible community music sessions for disabled children and adults. She has also worked as a National Youth Arts Wales ‘Change Maker’, advising on policies and practices around environmental, social, and cultural issues with the aim of overcoming barriers to youth participation in the arts. This year, Amélie has been selected to be a Drake Music ‘Future Leader’. Through this programme, she is further developing skills in leadership and project management. Along with her technical proficiency on the flute, these skills will equip Amélie to deliver creative, meaningful, and accessible performances of the highest quality.
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Amélie is hugely grateful for the exceptional teaching and mentorship she has received from Michael Cox, Karen Jones, Sarah Newbold, Matthew Featherstone, and Susie Hodder-Williams. She would also like to thank Help Musicians, Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust, and Yorkshire Ladies’ Council for their financial support towards her postgraduate studies. Amélie plays on a Haynes Custom flute, which is generously supported by the Royal Philharmonic Society.