Jane Mitchell
Principal Flute
Jane plays both period and modern flutes and loves the many challenges these different instruments present. As well as being principal flute of Aurora Orchestra, Jane plays regularly with both modern and period groups across Europe, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Irish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, London Sinfonietta, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Gabrieli Consort and Les Siècles. Jane feels passionately about finding new ways to make orchestral music speak to more people and has been deeply involved in Aurora’s programming, production and devising of work since it began. Jane was also responsible for launching Aurora’s first projects for young people in schools and now plays a key role in the development of the orchestra’s series for young people, Far Far Away.
Aurora Memory
I tend to judge my Aurora memories on either how many goose bumps or how much laughter they induce. I’m always particularly proud when an Aurora concert induces laughter as I find this quite a rare thing in most orchestral concerts. I think the moment that magician Neil Henry conjured up players from the audience to create Britten’s Fugue from the Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra was a top one. As was the moment principal pianist John Reid turned on the hoover and began hovering the stage (intentionally!) in our House project. For me though my most goose bump moment is definitely staring up at the snow falling from the ceiling of Shoreditch Church at the end of Zender’s arrangement of Winterreise.