From September onwards, Alena Walentin will bring refreshing new impulses into the Royal Conservatoire.

The internationally acclaimed flutist will assume her appointment as our new Main Subject Teacher Classical Music Flute. Alena will be a great addition to our excellent Flute faculty.

Alena lived half of her live in the bustling and diverse metropolis of London. She first came to the UK for summer school with 16 and permanently moved to London with only 17 to start her studies at the Royal Academy of Music.

On March 12^th, Alena and her husband discussed the possibility of flying to his home country Denmark for a couple of weeks to sit out the Covid-19 crisis. Alena hesitated in the beginning because she had some exciting projects coming op (such as an interview and a concert for BBC3). But she knew it was the right decision to do.

‘It felt strange to leave London and everything behind. I love the city and its big parks. But when we were sitting in the airplane, it was announced that we were one of the last flights to be allowed in before the Danish borders were closed the next day. That was the moment, when we realised how severe the situation really was.’

By now, we have reached July and Alena is still in the green and quiet surroundings of her lockdown home. ‘Just like everyone else, I had some days where I thought: What will everyone in the classical music world do, now that everything is on hold? But mostly, I looked at my new situation from a positive side. You have to remember, that music always survives. And even in the most desperate moments of time, such as wars, people find hope and comfort in music.’

Alena’s schedule starts to quickly fill up again. She already performed in an online concert together with her husband Niklas and this week at the Chamber music summit at Herlufsholm finally again in front of an audience. Together with Niklas, she will also organise the Møn Sommerkoncert in August for the third time. ‘What I missed the most during the lockdown was playing with fellow musicians and to be able to connect with an audience through my music during a concert. Having a possibility to still keep the sense of community and have music accessible during the lockdown was fantastic, but playing to a screen cannot replace playing with dear colleagues in front of real people and sharing that experience with the audience right there in the moment in the same space.’

In September, she will start at the Royal Conservatoire. So, what will Alena bring to our Classical Music Department? ‘I was actually not looking for a new job. I am very happy in London and already teach at three conservatoires and a university. But when I read the vacancy text, where the profile they were looking for was of an open-minded musician of the 21st century who respects the tradition but doesn’t shy away from innovation and new approaches, I immediately was inspired. It told me so much about the place and what teachers are looking for in their colleagues. I felt I ought to apply.

Without getting her hopes set too high, Alena applied and was invited to an interview in The Hague. ‘I immediately was hit by the KonCon community feel. The flute faculty is filled with brilliant teachers who support each and by the way sound fantastic!

Also, it is amazing to see the Head of the Classical Music Department as someone so fantastically organised and a brilliant performer himself, who cares very much for all of his students’

Alena has a big admiration for the Romantic composers such as Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky Puccini and Brahms. Despite her busy teaching schedule, she still regularly performs with renowned orchestras in the UK and plays in several ensembles. ‘This is something, I would also like to communicate to my students. As a musician, and especially as a flutist, you are also a freelancer. I want my students to have the awareness of the different possibilities that are waiting for them out in the world and to stay open-minded. The variety of playing in different ensembles, orchestras, doing outreach work and making a difference to people’s lives through music is it what makes job as a musician amazing.”

We can already see that Alena with her high-level of energy, her infectious enthusiasm and her charming character will take the Royal Conservatoire by storm. Welcome to the KonCon family, Alena. We are looking forward to meeting you in September.