My mission is to express my emotions and my innermost feelings through music and thus to awaken my fellow human beings.
Karin Bonelli thrives on being surrounded by an ocean of sound and the creative individuals who make it homogeneous. With this being the case, it is most fortunate that since 2012, she has been a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which creates its own singular harmonious ocean of tonality. She was the first woman to obtain a position in the wind section of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and with that, also in the Vienna Philharmonic.
However, it was not fortunate circumstance alone that placed this young artist in this outstanding musical entity, but rather a long, arduous journey, beginning with her first flute lessons under the tuteledge of her mother – her father also being a flutist and professor. She consequently studied in Linz, Vienna, Lyon, and Munich with teachers such as Gisela Mashayekhi-Beer, Günter Voglmayr, Philippe Boucly, Wolfgang Schulz, Julien Beaudiment, Philippe Bernold and Karl-Heinz Schütz. The interaction with these instructors provided Karin Bonelli with a precocious comprehension of various regions, concepts of sound and styles of playing, which allowed her to develop her own individual musicianship without ever stifling her endeavours to further her professional ability.
In the moment
My top priority is to be in harmony with what I live and give of myself. Through my authenticity I try to live out all my layers and facets. I meet my audience and my music students with gratitude and joy every day.
In addition to various competition awards at an early age, she was still young when she was introduced to the orchestral world, playing with the Vienna Symphony, the National Orchestra de France and the Opera National de Lyon. More currently, along with her position in the Vienna Philharmonic with whom she experiences all of the world-renown conductors and soloists, she is a founding member of the „Vienna Wind Quintet“ as well as the „Klangkollektiv Wien“.
“Music is the most direct art form to reach people emotionally in the now. That is exactly what is so immensely valuable about it.”
Karin lives out another passion in passing on the fire by letting young flute players discover their own qualities. Thus, she is currently focusing her experiences from various teaching assignments (University of Music in Graz 2017-18, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna 2019-2023, Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien 2022-2023) in her own academy in the Salzkammergut, the Penthesilea Academy.
When one listens to the lyrical sound of Karin Bonelli in performance, one is not surprised that she would have liked to have pursued a career in singing as well. Indeed, with some imagination when at the beach, one might imagine her „singing flute“ in the melodious sounds of the seashore.
“I found my voice through music and I wish that my students would also find and follow their own, authentic path in life.”
