- Home
- The Orchestra
- Our musicians
- Woodwind
- Sameeta Gahir
Sameeta Gahir
Piccolo
Adopted by Steph & Mike Griffith in memory of Eileen Lee
Sameeta Gahir began learning the flute at the age of eight, and the piccolo two years later. Growing up in London, she attended Alleyn’s School as a music scholar. She performed with youth orchestras including London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra as both Principal Flute and Piccolo.
In 2007, Sameeta became a Sir Thomas Beecham scholar at the University of Durham, which enabled her to study with the then Principal Flute of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Juliette Bausor. In 2009, Sameeta started studying for a Bachelor of Music degree at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating with first class honours in 2013. Sameeta then embarked upon a two-year Master of Music course at the Köln Hochschule für Musik with Robert Winn. During her first year of that course in 2016, Sameeta was appointed Principal Piccolo of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then she has enjoyed playing as guest principal piccolo with many orchestras across the UK.
Sameeta has a keen interest in education and creating opportunities for those who are underrepresented in the classical music world. She has been teaching piccolo at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance since 2016. More recently she has had the chance to design a scheme, with Liverpool Philharmonic, giving opportunities to musicians trying to gain experience playing with a professional orchestra. The Liverpool Philharmonic Emerging Musicians Fellowship is a paid year-long scheme where four musicians, of any age, have been picked to play alongside the Orchestra, have 1-1 lessons, a mentor, access to the health and wellbeing programme and much more.
Fun Fact:
Sameeta is a PADI Scuba Dive Master and loves exploring the world both on land and underwater. During the pandemic she volunteered as a St John Vaccinator and did Cuppa Concerts on doorsteps organised by World Harmony Orchestra for vulnerable people.
Favourite performance:
The first ever concert when I was on trial. I had never played professionally before and it was such a great experience. Christian Lindberg was conducting pieces including Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Concert/repertoire you’d love to perform in future:
Any Shostakovich symphony!
What inspired you to start playing the piccolo?
I started on the flute because I was copying everything my brother did. I had annoyed him so much that by the time he was at the top of the waiting list for lessons, he didn’t want to play the flute anymore! My mum asked if I could take his place and that’s when I started on the flute. The piccolo seemed like something fun to play and I begged my parents to let me have one when I was 10.
Do you play any other instruments?
Piano when I was at school and double bass more recently.
Could you tell us a bit about other music projects you’re involved with?
May was such a fun month – we had our Eurovision celebrations. This was such an enjoyable concert with a great atmosphere, they even gave us glitter make-up artists backstage!
I have been lucky enough to have been allowed to design the Emerging Musicians Fellowship and create paid opportunities for four musicians. They have been performing alongside us in concerts and rehearsals and had bespoke training sessions, depending on their interests. Each musician has had a mentor and instrument lessons with members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Seeing the positive impact that this has had on our first cohort has been really humbling and I can’t wait to announce our next cohort later this summer. Keep your eyes peeled!
Recommended
-
Most popular
-
Most popular
-
Most popular
-
Most popular
-
Most popular
-
Most popular
