Forget Yourself

World-renowned concert violinist Rachael Beesley explores the State of Flow. Investigating the balance between challenge and skill, she talks about the importance of noticing, and challenging yourself without feeling overwhelmed, allowing us to delve deeper into the essence of our experiences.

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Graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne - Bachelor of Arts in Music (1989), Graduate Diploma of Arts in Music (1991) studying with Spiros Rantos, and from The Royal Conservatoire, The Hague, The Netherlands - Master of Music (1999) studying with Sigiswald Kuijken, Elizabeth Wallfisch and Vera Beths, Rachael was based in Europe for 14 years, performing as guest concertmaster with Europe’s most distinguished ensembles including La Petite Bande, Il Complesso Barocco, Bach Concentus, the Restoration Company and New Dutch Academy as well as performing regularly with Anima Eterna Brugge and Les Arts Florissants.

Rachael has performed on over 50 CD recordings and for broadcasts on radio and television and now based in Australia, she is guest concertmaster for the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Pinchgut Opera, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera and orchestraseventeen88 - an orchestra she has recently co-launched in Australia, specialising in Classical and Romantic repertoire on period instruments. Rachael is the Kate Buchdahl Distinguished Artist in Residence at the ANU School of Music, Canberra and a lecturer at the Sydney and Melbourne Conservatoriums and the School of Music, Monash University and guest director at the Australian National Academy of Music. In the field of Historical Performance Practice and the unique area of Practising in Flow, she has been invited to speak at conferences in Australia, New Zealand and The Netherlands where she has taught at Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, The Netherlands since 2000.  

Rachael has been awarded an Ian Potter Cultural Trust grant and is listed in the Who’s Who of Australian Women.