Catherine Hurley

I was a music student at Bath Spa University College where I took a BA music degree specialising in performance. Before I came to Bath I played with the Harrow Young Musicians ensemble and the Harrow Concert Band developing an interest in all kinds of flute playing and especially the rich-toned alto flute.
Coming to Bath Spa was exciting and gave me the opportunity to become involved in plenty of solo work in front of an audience. A particularly rewarding experience was a masterclass with William Bennett, one of today's great performers and teachers on the instrument. In August 2000, I attended Wissam Boustany's annual summer school, "In Search of Inspiration," which takes place in the relaxed atmosphere of the Cornish coast near Penzance. We were required to memorise our pieces beforehand and then together with fourteen other flautists from different parts of the world, I engaged in a series of intensive masterclasses under Wissam's direction. 
In December 2000 I auditioned for the Shell/LSO Woodwind Scholarship and in April will be taking part in a non-competitive master-class with Paul Edmund Davies, principal flautist of the LSO.
Composition is a major interest for me and you can hear a short miniature for solo flute which was recorded at the University by clicking on the link to the side. I have written a number of other pieces for flute and piano, piccolo and ensembles of various other instrumental combinations. Studying at Bath Spa University gave me the opportunity to take part in a student exchange scheme where I was able to take one of my compositions to Holland and have this played by the very skilled performers over there. Outside of the University I belonged to the Wessex Flute Band taking part in its organisation and helping the younger members in ensemble playing. Currently I am playing with the Queen's Square Flute Ensemble, a flute trio with members from the former Wessex Flute Band. We play all types of music from Bach to Tolou's "Recollections of Ireland," and arrangements of popular songs.
My musical interests are fairly wide, but I particularly love Ibert, Ravel, Poulenc and Prokofiev. Improvisation is another interest, not to mention jazz and similar forms. There is something of this in the family,  Brother Vince Hurley earns his living as a keyboard player travelling all over the world with the Jive Aces and Dad plays and teaches in his spare time on the Northern Ireland scene.

I also love animals, particularly cats and in my free time I enjoy swimming and roller-blading. 

  Elevation
A short composition for flute
(download)