May, Elizabeth

Elizabeth May

After studying at the Royal College of Music with Graham Mayger and Sebastian Bell, Liz May joined the orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, where she was sub-principal flute and principal piccolo for 13 years until 2000. Since then, she has enjoyed a flourishing freelance career playing as a regular extra, and often playing principal piccolo, with, amongst others, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In 2011 she toured Europe with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as guest principal piccolo.

Liz also plays regularly with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, with whom she played in the highly acclaimed Oliver Knussen Promenade concert in July 2007, and the more recent late night prom in July 2010. She continues to play regularly with this group, joining them in November 2010 for Mark Anthony Turnage’s 50th Birthday concert.