Stephen Preston
Biography
Stephen Preston has a multi-faceted career, which began with his pioneering work on historical flutes. As a flautist he played a leading role in the development of early music performance in the UK, his areas of interest extending from the 17th to the 19th centuries, with a particular love of French music and the empfindsamkeit style.
In recent years Stephen has been researching new techniques and forms of improvisation with the baroque flute based on birdsong. In April of 2003 he gave the first public performances of this work touring America with his duo, Nodneeya. Currently he is in the process of developing his improvisations with a string ensemble.
In addition to his career as an instrumentalist Stephen is also a choreographer of historical dance, working principally in opera and with his own dance companies.
Stephen lectures, teaches and coaches at the Royal College of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity College and the Royal Academy of Music. He is widely in demand for master classes and coaching, particularly in the United States.
He has just completed a two-year project culminating in a recording of Bach's Art of Fugue with the eminent American saxophone ensemble, the New Century Saxophone Quartet.