Richard Blake

Richard Blake is a Flute tutor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

Richard Blake studied with Edward Beckett at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. While still a student, he was appointed Principal Flute of Opera North. After two years, he returned to London where he was to remain for the next 10 years, working mostly with the London Sinfonietta, London Symphony Orchestra and London Philharmonic Orchestra with whom he recorded and toured extensively under such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Sir George Solti and Klaus Tennstedt. During this period, he made an award-winning recording of George Benjamin's Antara for two flutes and orchestra with the London Sinfonietta and performed regularly as a soloist with the London Virtuosi. He was a founder member of the Prometheus Ensemble with whom he made several acclaimed recordings of chamber music and appeared at music festivals across Europe.

In 1993, Richard moved to Glasgow and took up the post of Principal Flute with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. He is also a member of Paragon (Scotland's premiere contemporary music ensemble) and the group Kaleidophone which, through its work with traditional musicians from China, the Middle East and Africa, has enabled him to explore his interest in world music. In addition, he is in regular demand as a guest principal with orchestras around Britain. He has been a professor at the RSAMD since 1997.