Joséphine Olech

French flautist, Joséphine Olech, praised for her “subtle elegance” and “luminous joy” by Bachtrack, enjoys a busy career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician.

Joséphine won the First Prize at the Carl Nielsen International Competition in 2019 and the third prize at the Prague Spring International Competition in 2015. She has been the principal flute of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra since 2017 and has performed with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie.

Her recordings, including her latest album with Orchid Classics, showcase her exceptional talent. Joséphine holds degrees from the Conservatoire de Paris and has studied under Sophie Cherrier and Nathalie Rozat.
You can read her full bio here.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to join the teaching staff of this beautiful institution and looking forward to accompanying my future students on their musical path, whatever shape it may take," says Joséphine.

Sarah Ouakrat

Sarah Ouakrat, born in Paris, has a diverse career in performance and teaching. She began her studies at the Conservatoire de Région de Paris and continued at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon and The Royal Academy of Music in London. Sarah is the principal flute of the Dutch National Ballet Orchestra and a member of the Collegium Novum Zürich. She has won several competitions, including the IV International Flute Competition of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.

Sarah's extensive orchestral experience includes performances with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and more. You can read her full bio here.

"I am looking forward to becoming part of the KC team, to build a class and, particularly to work with the students on a long term, from their bachelor to their master, until their professional musical life starts," she shares.

New and inspiring flute classes

Eleonoor Tchernoff, Head of the Classical Music Department, expresses her enthusiasm for the new additions:
"I am excited for Sarah and Joséphine to join our teaching faculty. They are both incredible flautists, with versatile careers that I am sure will be an inspiration to our students. Sarah and Joséphine were involved in the auditions for the coming academic year and will both start a class in September. I look forward to their contributions to the KC flute class. Welcome Sarah and Joséphine!"

The Royal Conservatoire is proud to welcome these two exceptional artists to our community. Their expertise and passion will undoubtedly enrich our students' educational journey and inspire the next generation of musicians. We look forward to the innovative contributions they will bring to our institution.