Karen Batten and Rachel Thompson – flute and piano

Join us for our weekly lunchtime concert series and feel free to bring a bag lunch. This week, we take a trip through the Flute Family from the cheeky, bright piccolo, through the sonorous C flute to the rich, deep alto flute.

Music from North and South America: Gary Schocker and Astor Piazzolla, and England: John Rutter.

Biographies:

A Wellingtonian, Karen Batten has developed a varied freelance career, after returning from New York
with a Masters Degree. She is Principal Flute for Orchestra Wellington and has worked with the New
Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Karen has taught extensively throughout the Wellington Region, both at
secondary and tertiary level. Chamber music is a passion for Karen. She has been part of several groups,
some of which have toured for Chamber Music New Zealand, including Toru, flute, viola and harp. Most
recently her flute clarinet and bassoon group, Te Hau Trio, performed in Classical on Cuba.

Rachel Thomson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, and grew up in Wellington where she began her
piano studies with her mother. She went on to study with Judith Clark, graduating from Victoria
University of Wellington before continuing her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music in the United
States, where she gained a doctorate in piano performance. Rachel regularly performs with some of the
country’s leading musicians. She has toured on numerous occasions for Chamber Music New Zealand
and is a member of various chamber ensembles including the Koru Trio. She has worked as an orchestral
pianist with the NZSO, Orchestra Wellington, and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Rachel is also
active as a teacher, adjudicator and accompanist.

*Jen Vaughan was meant to perform alongside Karen and Rachel but due to COVID is unable to attend this performance. Her biography remains below:

After graduating from the New Zealand School of Music in 2008, Jen Vaughan completed her Masters
study in flute at the Australian National University under the tutelage of Virginia Taylor and Vernon
Hill. Over the years, she has performed with a number of orchestras and ensembles around New
Zealand. Jen has held the position of Sub-Principal Flute with Orchestra Wellington since 2008.