London loses principal flute

London loses principal flute

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norman lebrecht

September 16, 2020

We hear that Adam Walker has left the London Symphony Orchestra,

Recruited as principal flute while still a student at the Royal Academy, he was one of a stellar group around whom the LSO was building its future. But he fell in love with Italy and has been commuting back and forth for a while. Now he has decided to make his home there.


Adam in 2013

Comments

  • PHF says:

    Good for him, may he find Berlusconi in peace.

  • Sir David Geffen-Hall says:

    Well the food’s better in Italy so it should have been an easy decision.

    • The View from America says:

      The weather, too.

    • Bruce says:

      Reminds me of a comment from M.F.K. Fisher. Something to the effect that the different cuisines have a basic flavor that tends to characterize their food. For the Italians, their “national flavor” is olive oil; for the French it’s butter; for the Russians, sour cream; and for the British, water.

  • Henry williams says:

    Good for him nice weather good food and good cars. Iam jealous.

  • Axl says:

    There’s now massive holes in their wind sections: principal and 2nd in flutes, principal and bass in clarinets, principal and 4th in horns, principal and 2nd in trumpets and co-/associate principal in trombones. Plus also principal vacancies in almost every string sections. LSO needs a miracle to fill all these vacancies. It could be said that alarm in LSO!

  • Axl says:

    Norman where you find an information that Adam was joined the LSO in 2013? He joined in 2009 as age of 21. Please check facts (and sometimes also names) carefully

  • Stephen Birkin says:

    I agree with Axl that the loss of players is disappointing, but remember that the LSO operates a dual principal system. This means they can always put out the “A Team” and of course, the huge talent pool in London means they can use guest players, which they’ve done for years. The method of recruitment means it takes a long time to appoint new players, especially principals, and obviously Covid hasn’t helped. Brexit might yet complicate matters further. Maybe it’s time to consider salaried positions?

    • Anon says:

      The LSO is a self governing orchestra, so no salaried positions! Lots of vacancies but after the current world situation, sure they shall be eventually filled. Perhaps change on its way, from the once punishing schedule, no more three months touring each year, but who knows what the future shall bring?

    • Axl says:

      Yeah, I know (and also remember) that they have dual principal system. But it doesn’t matter for me.
      I always want to see full and complete sections/full roster without vacancies. So the holes in sections makes me always sad – especially in TOP orchestras like LSO.

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