Bridget Bolliger is an Australian–Swiss flautist and Powell Artist recognised for her captivating performances and her innovative approach to flute pedagogy. Combining an international performance career with a strong educational vision, she founded the Sydney Chamber Music Festival and created the Motivational Educational Flute Cards (MEFCs), based on her core principles of Breath, Support, and Airflow.

   •   She began her musical journey in Sydney, performing the Ibert Flute Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the age of 15.

   •   She attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School, receiving her early training with Jenny Andrews, Jane Rutter, and Vernon Hill.

   •  During her formative years, she was also profoundly inspired by masterclasses with Jean-Pierre Rampal, William Bennett, and Alain Marion.

   •   She later moved to Switzerland to study with the legendary flautist Peter-Lukas Graf at the Basel Music Academy, continuing the Marcel Moyse lineage.

   •   Under his mentorship, she spent four intensive years and completed her Master’s degree in performance . 

• Bridget has served as Principal Flute with prominent orchestras including the Zürich Opera Orchestra, Zurich chamber Orchestra , St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra, Basel Symphony Orchestra, São Paulo State Symphony (OSESP), Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. She has worked under the baton of esteemed conductors such as Claudio Abbado, James Judd, Christoph Eschenbach, Václav Neumann , Franz Welser-Möst, Nello Santi, Johannes Fritzsch, and Patrick Summers, among others.

• She began her orchestral training serving as Principal Flute with the Sydney Youth Orchestra, the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra

• As a chamber musician, she has performed at leading festivals including the Huntington Estate Music Festival, the Sydney Chamber Music Festival, and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Her collaborators have included pianist Andrew West, classical accordionist Ksenija Sidorova, oboist Nicholas Daniel, pianist Piers Lane, violinist Atle Sponberg, cellist Umberto Clerici and the Goldner String Quartet, amoung others.

• Bridget has performed as a flute soloist with major orchestras including the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (OSESP), the Basel Radio Orchestra, and the Camerata Svizzera di Lugano (Swiss Camerata of Lugano), appearing in renowned concert halls such as the Musikverein Basel and Teatro Massimo di Palermo. She has also appeared with numerous regional orchestras in Switzerland, Australia, and Portugal.

• Her concerto repertoire spans works by J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Vivaldi, Pergolesi Mozart,  Reinecke, Ibert , Nielsen.

• Notably, she toured Portugal performing Mozart’s Concerto in D major, and has appeared internationally in Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp alongside acclaimed harpists Marielle Nordmann, Sarah O’Brien, and Elena Zaniboni.

• Bridget is the Founder and Artistic Director of the New Sydney Wind Quintet, which has produced internationally acclaimed recordings and toured extensively throughout Australia and China. The NSWQ have given numerous concerts through Musica Viva Australia and have been regular recordings artists with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

• Bridget is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Sydney Chamber Music Festival since 2008, where she has commissioned many Australian compositions, including works by Ross Edwards, Lyle Chan , Andrew Ford, Jim Coyle, Robert Keene , Phillip Bolliger and Calvin Bowman amoung others.

• As an educator, Bridget teaches from her private Flute Studio as well as on the international platform Play with a Pro . She has given masterclasses in Switzerland , Brazil and Australia at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the University or NSW, at the New England Conservatorium of Music , the Sydney Flute Society, the Australian National University, the Australian Flute Festival and the Australian National Academy of Music.

• Her teaching focuses on solving every technical and musical challenge through the integration of three essential ingredients; the breath, support and airflow. She specialises in helping students unlock their full potential by mastering these foundational elements.

• In her early 20s, during the beginning of her professional orchestral career , Bridget also began voice training , first with Otto and Monika Pick-Hieronomi at the Hochschule für Musik Köln, and then later with Sergio Bertocchi at the Music Academy Bologna performing small operatic roles that inevitably enriched her flute perfromances, musicianship and teaching skills.

• Bridget Bolliger is a Powell Artist, playing on a handmade, 14-carat gold Verne Q. Powell flute and a silver Verne Q.Powell with 14-carat gold keys and a 19-carat gold head joint. 

  •   Established Legacy: Founded in 2008 by Artistic Director Bridget Bolliger, the Sydney Chamber Music Festival is a boutique annual event held at the Manly Art Gallery and Museum. It showcases top Australian musicians performing a mix of classical and contemporary music, often inspired by the gallery’s art exhibitions.

   •   Innovative and Inclusive Programming: The festival is known for its creative programming, including collabrations with the Sydney Puppet Theatre as well as Sensory Concerts® tailored for neurodiverse families with special needs. It also premieres a new Australian composition each year, demonstrating its support for contemporary music and emerging voices. It also premieres a new Australian composition each year, reflecting its commitment to accessibility and innovation.

   •   Community Engagement and Support: Supported by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, the festival offers affordable ticket prices and includes a student showcase, fostering community engagement and supporting the next generation of musicians.

Visit The Sydney Chamber Music Festival Website