Sharon Bezaly

Few musicians have done more to enrich their instrument’s repertoire than Sharon Bezaly. The Sweden-based flautist’s influential artistry and spirit of musical adventure are mirrored in the long list of concertos, chamber works and solo recital pieces written for her by, among others, Kalevi Aho, Sally Beamish, Brett Dean, Sofia Gubaidulina, Anders Hillborg and Zhou Long. She has also breathed fresh life into many fine pieces that had fallen into neglect, notably so in the case of Antal Doráti’s Night Music and Paul Kletzki’s Flute Concertino. Bezaly, born in Tel Aviv in 1972, made her solo debut with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra when she was 14, just three years after receiving her first flute lesson. Her profoundly soulful playing, hallmarked by its eloquent lyricism, immaculate technique and heartfelt expression, has reached far beyond the concert hall thanks to the comprehensive catalogue of recordings she has built in partnership with the BIS label. Bezaly’s discography includes engrossing interpretations of Mozart’s flute concertos and quartets, Nielsen’s Flute Concerto, Poulenc’s Flute Sonata and Messiaen’s La merle noir, together with recordings of rarities such as Mahler’s arrangement of Bach’s Second Orchestral Suite, Saint-Saëns’ Odelette and Jolivet’s Chant de Linos.