Music graduate accepted to Yale

Alumni

The United States - and an international music career - beckon for promising Adelaide flutist Anouvong Liensavanh.

A Bachelor of Music (Honours) Graduate of the University of Adelaide's Elder Conservatorium of Music in 2008, Anouvong will begin a two-year scholarship at Yale in August.

Yale usually accepts only one flute player per year, and to receive a full two-year scholarship - particularly after navigating a demanding audition process - is regarded a considerable honour.

Anouvong, 22, will study for a Master of Music Performance, majoring in Classical Performance, under the tutelage of renowned flutist and conductor Ransom Wilson.

His Yale scholarship follows on from receiving South Australia's top award for an arts graduate in 2009, the $5000 Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Award.

It's a promising progression for Anouvong, who says he hasn't always had the passion and commitment to his craft that he feels is necessary for a professional musician to succeed.

"I haven't always loved it (playing the flute) - for a while I was doing it mainly because it was giving me opportunities elsewhere, playing and studying overseas.

"In the last couple of years this has changed and I've really made the commitment to making it my career. I've seen and heard other flute players from around the world who are at a similar stage in their career and I know if I can keep working hard there will be opportunities for me."

Anouvong started his journey in music in 1996 with the piano and soon migrated across to the flute.

By age 15, he was studying with Elder Conservatorium Head of Woodwind Associate Professor Elizabeth Koch, who describes Anouvong's style as "fresh and inspirational".

"He always manages to add something extra to his performances - a musical 'surprise' in his interpretation - it is always fresh and inspirational," she said.

"And of course I admire his persistence in achieving his goals. He focussed on the auditions with excellent preparation and has finally made it into one of the most prestigious institutions in the United States."

Story by Ben Osborne