Stephen Preston

Biography

Stephen Preston has an international reputation as a pioneering period instrument performer. He was a founder member of the UK’s leading period-instrument ensembles of the 1970’s and made pioneering recordings of major works for baroque flute. He then focused his interest on dance and worked as a choreographer and director of two dance companies for two decades. In 2001 he began taking the baroque flute in new directions with the development of Ecosonics, an approach to improvisation and performance techniques modeled on birdsong. Several composers have written works using Ecosonics, most notably Edward Cowie’s The Soft Complaining Flute, composed for Stephen and the BBC Singers, and recorded for CD release early in 2013. Recent solo performances have taken Stephen to the USA, Australasia and Thailand. This year he formed APORIA, a trio dedicated to creating new avenues of performance on historical instruments, with two eminent innovating musicians, Jane Chapman harpsichord and Richard Boothby viola da gamba. Stephen also performs with the Ecosonic Ensemble and the electro-acoustic improvisation group, Automatic Writing Circle. In addition to his work for the RNCM, Stephen teaches at TrinityLaban College of Music and Dance, gives master classes on historical performance, and workshops on Ecosonic improvisation.

Research Interest

Flute,choreographer and director