
BRIDGET
BOLLIGER
Australian-Swiss Flautist
Photo Eduardus Lee
"Music is the fruit and vegetables for the brain." ~ Bridget Bolliger
"Music is the fruit and vegetables for the brain." ~ Bridget Bolliger
About Bridget
Photo Eduardus Lee
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Bridget Bolliger is an internationally acclaimed Australian-Swiss flautist whose captivating performances and innovative contributions to classical music have garnered international recognition.
• 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 .
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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 Orhctesra , the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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• 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
Masterclasses & Mentoring
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Bridget Bolliger's Flute Studio
PITTWATER, NORTHERN BEACHES, SYDNEY
~ Private tuition
~ Intermediate to advanced
~ Talented beginners are welcome to apply with a recommendation and minimum of 2 years playing flute.Preparation for:
~ AMEB exams
~ Scholarships
~ Competitions
~ Student Orchestral Auditions
~ Professional Orchestral Auditions
~ Auditions for both undergraduate and post graduate studies in Europe
~ Casual lessons available upon special request"Since 2021, Bridget has helped me immeasurably on the road to becoming the best flute player I can be. She is always dynamic, enthusiastic and above all inspires me every single lesson to inject that same energy into my practice. I really feel that her passion for the flute in each lesson creates an environment that nurtures a love for making music, and my weekly lessons with her are certainly a much-anticipated event! "
SASKIA SCHEIB
Student, Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School“ I have been learning with Bridget for three years now, and in that time, all aspects of my flute playing have improved significantly. She approaches teaching with a balanced and supportive attitude, which has helped to improve my tone, technique and expression. “
JACK DE RAVIN
Prize Winner - Lyrical Flute International Championship 2024 (under 17)“I’ve grown so much as a musician since starting lessons with Bridget. Her teaching style is warm, intuitive, and deeply knowledgeable—she always knows exactly how to explain things in a way that makes sense. Every lesson leaves me feeling inspired, challenged, and more confident in my playing. I’m incredibly grateful to have her guidance.”
EMILY THORNTON
Former student Sydney Conservatorium High School & Student at the Australian National University -
Play With a Pro
ONLINE
Play with a Pro is a world-renowned platform offering flautists the rare opportunity to learn from some of the most celebrated artists and teachers in the world. With beautifully produced video masterclasses and live one-on-one lessons, it connects students with world-class performers — making expert flute instruction accessible anytime, anywhere.
I’m proud to be part of the Play with a Pro community, sharing my experience and passion with students around the globe.
~ Free Introductory Lesson
~ 100% satisfaction guarantee
~ 100% secure payment
~ Simple cancellation“I feel incredibly fortunate to have found a teacher as insightful and inspiring as Bridget. She is quickly able to diagnose issues with my playing and devise workable solutions. Her explanations are clear and her style is warm and encouraging. I feel I am making real progress for the first time in many years and it's a joy.”
KATE MURPHY“I have taken lessons from Bridget about 4 years. I originally started in order to prepare for auditions for my masters and it has been great time learning from her. She is not only a great teacher with relevant knowledge but she is also thoughtful and kind. She knows me what my weakness is and gives me the proper practice method to further develop my skills. Lessons with her inspire me and encourage me to be a better flute player.”
JENNA ROSSI“I’ve been working with Bridget for several months as flutist amateur. I live in Switzerland, land that host Emmanuel Pahud. Bridget is a remarkable human and compassionate teacher. These important qualities are brought forward in a these particularly difficult times. She has a "sharp ear "and nothing escapes her. Her flute playing and musicality are overwhelming as well as her wise and sensible flautistic advices that allowed me to progress quickly and gain more and more confidence in me. She made several recordings on the net that I watched to perfect my flute playing and I’m fan . I can’t advise you better flute teacher. One regret is not being able to do duets in the classroom.”
DR JEAN-MARC BAUMGARTNER
“Playing the flute is like riding a horse . If you let it bolt , you’ll fall off “ ~ Bridget Bolliger
“Playing the flute is like riding a horse . If you let it bolt , you’ll fall off “ ~ Bridget Bolliger
Recordings
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Dancing Shadows
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Timeless
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Pearls
Backstage & Beyond
“Slow and steady is better than fast and not ready” ~ Bridget Bolliger
“Slow and steady is better than fast and not ready” ~ Bridget Bolliger
Gallery

New Sydney Wind Quintet , Art Gallery of NSW. Bridget Bolliger - Flute, Alexandre Oguey -Oboe, Frank Celata - Clarinet , Euan Harvey - French Horn , Andrew Barnes - Bassoon

Recording “Islands” for Choir, Piano & Flute by Lyn Williams at ABC Studios , Goosens Hall. Jem Harding - Piano , Bridget Bolliger - Flute, Luke Byrne - Co-Producer , Lyn Williams - Conductor , Director & Founder of Gondwana Voices , Virginia Reid - Recording Engineer & Producer

Collaboration with the Sydney Puppet Theatre. Bridget Bolliger flute with puppeteer Sue Wallace.

Film score for Rams with music by Antony Partos, high school buddy and one of Australia's most awarded film composers. Bridget Bolliger, creating flute “sounds” of the most bizarre possible.

Rehearsing flute duos with legendary flautist Peter-Lukas Graf, Basel, Switzerland.

Bridget Bolliger as tutor and mentor for the Australian Youth Orchestra chamber musicians. Elder Conservatorium of Music , Adelaide.