Ulla Miilmann
Ulla Miilmann graduated as a flutist from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 1991.
As principal solo flutist in the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Ulla holds one of the most prominent positions in the orchestral world. She has performed as a soloist with several orchestras in Denmark and abroad, and has a very active and wide-ranging chamber music career. She is also a sought-after teacher at masterclasses, and is often invited to be a jury member at major international competitions.
In parallel with her artistic activities, Ulla has always been passionate about teaching and mentoring new talents at RDAM and elsewhere.
Teaching
Ulla has been teaching flute at RDAM since 2011, from April 2021 as associate professor. Here she is in charge of providing pedagogical guidance and an introduction to the principal study of transverse flute for Bachelor and Master’s students, and she is also supervisor for the reflection assignments of the Master’s students. In addition, she is responsible for soloist preparation and career advice for soloist students of the transverse flute.
Outside the usual framework of RDAM, Ulla is both initiator, organiser and pedagogically responsible for the planning of flute concerts for RDAM’s flute students. Each concert has its own academic focus area which is woven into the principal study lessons and joint classes, with a subsequent practical implementation in connection with the concert to strengthen the interaction between technical understanding and practical performance.
Ulla has developed her own flute method, which emphasises flexible and strong sound formation. It is specifically designed for the Bachelor study years, but can be used at all levels. The method has been developed on the basis of Ulla’s own pedagogical experience, coupled with knowledge drawn from principles of voice teaching.
Artistic practice
Ulla joined the Royal Danish Orchestra in 1992, and in 1994, at the age of just 22, she was awarded the position of solo flutist with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. She has been a member of the Wind Quintet of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra for many years, with whom she has recorded several CDs and built up extensive concert activity in Denmark.
Carl Nielsen’s Flute Concerto, in particular, has featured heavily in Ulla’s solo repertoire, and she has performed the work several times with the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the St. Petersburg State Academic Philharmonia, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, the South Denmark Philharmonic and the Danish Chamber Orchestra, amongst others.
2017: Awarded the Carl Nielsen major honorary scholarship: “With instrumental energy and artistic format, Ulla Miilmann has helped to enrich many Thursday concerts, tours and CD recordings”.
2015: The Peter Varming Memorial Prize, awarded to a musician from the Danish National Symphony Orchestra who, through his or her artistic work, has contributed to the orchestra’s development to its current high level.
2006: Recipient of a US Grammy nomination, as the first Dane ever to do so in the category “Best Instrumental Solo Performance with Orchestra” - for the recording of Ole Schmidt’s Flute Concerto.
2001: Awarded the Artist’s Prize of the Circle of Music Critics (Musikanmelderringen)
2001: Awarded the Jakob Gade Honorary Scholarship
2001: Recipient of the Rødovre Music Prize
Ulla has been a guest flute teacher at several foreign universities:
- Haute École De Musique Genéve, Switzerland (Hem) 2018
- Conservatoire Strasbourg, France 2018
- Academy of Music. I.J. Paderewski, Poland 2019
- Luca School of Arts, Leuven, Belgium 2020
- Shanghai Conservatory of Music, China 2019
- Shanghai Conservatory of Music Affiliated Anshi Experimental Middle School, China 2019
And in connection with foreign festivals:
- German Flute Festival, Germany, 2020
- Adams Flute Festival, Netherlands, 2020
- Galway Flute Festival 2020
- Spanish Flute Association Convention, Spain 2018
- Iowa Flute Festival, USA 2018
- Kvintoratet, Greater Copenhagen, Denmark 2017, 2018 and 2019
- Domaine Forget International Music Festival, Canada 2017 and 2018
- Danish Flute Festival 2016 and 2017
- Norwegian Flute Festival, Norway 2013
- International Flute Symposium, Denmark 2012
In addition, Ulla organises and is artistically responsible for masterclasses in the RDAM framework, with high-profile flute professors from other universities in both Europe and the USA. These masterclasses are of pedagogical and professional benefit to both students and teachers, and help to strengthen the future co-operation between academies of music internationally.
2012-2016: Flute teacher in the preparatory class for academies (MGK)
Ulla is responsible for organising masterclasses in connection with Saturday School and the MGK Talent Camp. Both events are designed to strengthen co-operation between music schools, MGK and the Academy by enhancing talent development and knowledge sharing between teachers from all of the institutions.
In order to strengthen the understanding of flute construction, as well as to facilitate young people’s choice of what may be their first professional instrument, which is a major investment, Ulla has initiated and organised an exhibition of transverse flutes, piccolos and alto flutes by various flute makers.
2020: The Albert Razbaum International Flute Competition, Russia
2020: The Stitching Flute Competition, Netherlands
2020: Euroflute Solo Competition, Spain
2019: The Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition, Denmark
2019: Domenica Cimarosa International Flute Competition, Italy
2016-2019: Øresund Soloist Competition
2018: Krakamp International Flute Competition, Italy
2015: ARD International Music Competition Munich, Germany
2010: Pre-jury member for the Carl Nielsen International Flute Competition, Denmark
Jury member at entrance examinations and final examinations for Bachelor, Master’s and soloist students at RDAM
Jury member at entrance examinations and final examinations for students in the preparatory class for academies (MGK)
Member of the orchestra jury in the appointment of musicians for the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.
Representative duties
2011-: Member of the board of the Danish Flute Society
Score publications
Initiator and editor of the publication:
Johannes Frederik Fröhlich – Sonata for Flute and Piano in A minor, Edition Svitzer (2017)
CD releases
Poul Rovsing Olsen
The Planets – Works for Voice and Instruments
Anette Slaatto, Jonathan Slaatto, Helge Slaatto, Ulla Miilmann, Signe Asmussen, Christian Martínez, Frederik Munk Larsen
Dacapo 8.226128
Poul Rovsing Olsen
Songs
Bruun Hyldig Duo, Steffen Bruun, Elvira Josephine Bruun, Ulla Miilmann
Dacapo 8.226078
Per Nørgård
Songs from Evening Land – Helene Gjerris synger Per Nørgård
Helene Gjerris, Toke Møldrup, Johannes Søe Hansen, Ulla Miilmann, Tine Rehling, Anne Marie Fjord Abildskov, Lotte Wallevik, Jesper Lützhøft, Casper Schreiber
Dacapo 8.226060
Carl Nielsen
Chamber Music Vol. 1
The Diamond Ensemble, Trio Ondine, Erik Heide, Jens Elvekjær, Martin Qvist Hansen, Ulla Miilmann, Anna Dina Schick, Nina Kathrin Schlemm, Katrine Øigaard, Søren Elbo, Katrine Bundgaard, Jens Tofte-Hansen, Jonathan Slaatto, Øistein Sonstad, Henning Due Hansen, Max Artved
Dacapo 8.226064
Ole Schmidt
Koncerter
Ulla Miilmann, Jens Bjørn-Larsen, David M.A.P. Palmquist, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Ole Schmidt
Dacapo 6.220515
Jan Maegaard
Kammermusik
Annette L. Simonsen, Ulla Miilmann, Eva Feldbæk, Henrik Brendstrup, Jørgen Bove, Tim Frederiksen, Toke Lund Christiansen, Henrik Svitzer, Klas Sjöblom, Jesper Helmuth Madsen, Peter Andersen
Dacapo 8.224050
Various composers
Music for Wind Quintet
The Wind Quintet of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Dacapo 8.224151
J.S. Bach:
Flute Sonatas by J.S. Bach
Ulla Miilmann, Søren Johannsen, Kjeld Steffensen
KON 32343
Various composers
French Music for Flute and Harp
Ulla Miilmann, Tine Rehling
KON 32345
Frederik Gislinge, Hans Henrik Ley
Den ensomme tone
Tommy Kenter, the Wind Quintet of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
EMI 530435-2
Johann Sebastian Bach
St. Matthew Passion – Music for trumpet and organ
Dorthe Zielke, Søren Johannsen, Ulla Miilmann, Pelle Gravers Nielsen, Johannes Søe Hansen
Naxos 8.573046
Friedrich Kuhlau
Solos, duos and trios for flutes
Ulla Miilmann, Mikael Beier, Toke Lund Christiansen
KON 32252/53
Various composers
150th Anniversary of the Royal Danish Academy of Music
Various artists
Dacapo 8.201202