Michael Cox Flute Course 2026

Master Teacher & Performer

Michael Cox enjoys a rich and varied musical life. He was Principal Flute of the London Symphony Orchestra for five years before moving to the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he is the solo flutist of two top UK chamber orchestras, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the London Mozart Players. He has appeared widely as a soloist in all continents and made many concerti, recital and chamber recordings (including for Sony, Naxos, EMI). A popular artist internationally, Michael Cox has been asked to play at festivals in Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Ireland, Brasil, Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, USA and Scotland in just the last few months.

Years of dedication to the performance of new music has led to direct collaborations with composers such as Stockhausen, Boulez, Reich, Berio, Dutilleux, Adams and Takemitsu amongst the greats, as well as with rafts of composers of the younger generations. He has given world and UK premieres of a great number of solo pieces (many of them written for him) and he is a composer in his own right. In 2009, Michael Cox joined the UK’s foremost new music ensemble, the London Sinfonietta. He also enjoys performing on period instruments and is active in studio and film studio work.

Michael left the BBC Symphony Orchestra this year after 25 years to concentrate on more self-curated projects and to work with a wider range of orchestras and ensembles as well as working more in the film music sector. Since then, he has been guest Principal Flute with the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

A passionate and committed teacher, Michael Cox has given classes in many parts of the world, is a professor of flute at the Royal Academy of Music (from where many of his students have gone on to hold positions in orchestras around the world) and is Artistic Director of a unique orchestral training website, Principal Chairs. A book focusing on his teaching is currently being prepared by Australian flutist Joanna Sullivan. Michael is an International Artist for Altus flutes.

Curator

Elizabeth Koch AM is an Emeritus Fellow at The University of Adelaide.

Previously, Elizabeth was Associate Professor of Flute, Head of Performance and Head of Woodwind at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, and spent >20 years at the University of Adelaide. Elizabeth’s orchestral experience is extensive with 27 years in the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

She was also Principal Flute of the Australian Youth Orchestra and Principal Flute of the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra. She has performed as soloist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra.

In 1976 Elizabeth was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to study with Maxence Larrieu in Paris and has since performed in masterclasses with master teachers including Jean-Pierre Rampal, Alain Marion, Andras Adorjan, Sir James Galway, Susan Milan and William Bennett.

Her students have been accepted into the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, London, the Mannes School, New York, Yale University and have won positions in Australian symphony orchestras and the Australian Youth Orchestra.

Elizabeth has been awarded a number of University prizes including the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty Prize, a Carrick Citation and the University of Adelaide’s highest teaching award, the Stephen Cole the Elder Excellence in Teaching Prize. In 2010 Elizabeth won an ALTC (Australian Learning and Teaching Prize) for her excellence in teaching on a national level.

In June 2016, Elizabeth was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, for her significant service to the performing arts, particularly to music education and performance, and through executive roles with professional associations.

In June 2006, Elizabeth was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, for her services to flute music and for the mentoring of young musicians.

Associate Artist

Leigh Harrold is one of Australia’s busiest and most sought-after pianists, having performed extensively throughout Europe, North America, Africa and Australia as both soloist and chamber musician.

His international reputation as a collaborative pianist has led to duos with such luminaries as Thomas Reibl, lecturer in viola at the Salzburg Mozarteum; Michael Cox, principal flautist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra; Daniel Gaede, ex-concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; and Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling. He has twice been awarded the Geoffrey Parsons Award for Associate Artists. He is also a founding member of the Helpmann Award-nominated Syzygy Ensemble, one of Australia’s most critically lauded and active contemporary music ensembles.

An enthusiastic and committed teacher, speaker, and writer, Leigh has given several masterclasses around the world, and many pre- and post-concert talks. In 2013 Leigh was awarded a PhD for his research into the music of Robert Muczynski for which he received a Dean’s Commendation for Thesis Excellence, and in 2015 he was published internationally in the Liszt Society of London journal. He holds two University medals - one for Music and one for Applied Science.

In 2023, Leigh was appointed Head of Keyboard at Camberwell Grammar School. He also holds positions on the Faculties of ANAM and the University of Melbourne.